Locusts may have changed direction but Bihar on alert against attack

Patna: The Bihar government is geared up about the possibility of locust attacks in the state. Squads have been set up to deal with the menace and be ready for mass spraying. However, the agriculture department has received information that the first swarm of locusts has changed its course towards Madhya Pradesh.

An official of the agriculture department said that the locusts after reaching Mirzapur had India changed their course towards Madhya Pradesh, hence chances of their hitting Bihar were low.

Agriculture secretary Dr N Saravanan Kumar has asked the officials of 10 MP-Bihar border districts to be vigilant. Though the locusts might have changed track to MP, officials in Bihar have been put on alert in case the locusts change their course again.

The Bihar government has advised farmers to be vigilant. Officers have been asked to coordinate with the district administration in arranging vehicles and tractor-mounted sprays by the fire department.

Committees to deal with the locusts have been formed from the state to the panchayat level.

Meanwhile, the locust menace has increased the anxiety of farmers, especially mango and litchi growers. According to agriculture scientist Dr Rajesh Kumar the grasshoppers have entered India due to a change in weather conditions. "So far we

have had good rainfall. Since it is still moist in north Bihar, locusts penetrate the damp area rapidly," he added.