Locust attack on Delhi? Is capital under threat of locusts swarm anytime soon? Check details

Warnings of probable locust attack in Delhi have been issued by Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) which is a body under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Locust attack in Delhi: Warnings of probable locust attack in Delhi have been issued by Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) which is a body under the Ministry of Agriculture. However, their entry to the city is only possible if winds change their directions and conditions are favourable for them, the IE reported. Citing the deputy director of LWO, K L Gurjar, the report said that for the swarm to move from Rajasthan to Delhi, winds have to blow from west to east in India and the current direction of wind is from east in Delhi.

It is to note that the swarms are currently active in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. While the swarms migrating from Rajasthan will need some wind support, swarms from Madhya Pradesh are unlikely to enter Delhi. Since the population of locusts is less in Madhya Pradesh, it will not be possible for them to travel to Delhi at a time when teams are already deployed in the state to control it.

Therefore, an advisory is released for a ‘probable’ locust attack in Delhi. According to the report, Delhi Cabinet Minister for Development Gopal Rai has informed municipal corporations, magistrates and revenue authorities.

With a possibility of locust swarm heading to the National Capital, to question the damage that can be caused becomes imperative. In Delhi, there are no farming fields that can be affected but Rai said that it impacts the horticulture sector as well. Currently, preparedness is being monitored. The report citing S Chelliah, director of horticulture at the New Delhi Municipal Council, said that these insects prefer to eat small leaves of agricultural crops since the leaves on trees, climbers and other shrubs are hard for them to eat. Therefore, even if the swarm enters Delhi, the damage to the green spaces would be very less.

Furthermore, the swarms are controlled by using pesticides. The usage is only done during the evening when they rest as they fly in day time. This would help kill the locust swarms.