Yogi Adityanath sets up disaster relief team for locust attack

Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has set up a Disaster Relief Team, headed by the Deputy Director, Agriculture Directorate, to deal with locust attacks in various parts of the state.

The team will survey various districts where locust presence has been found and will take remedial measures for the same.

The state government has also set up a control room to coordinate with various districts on the issue.

According to a government spokesman, district level committees are also being set up for the purpose under the chairmanship of the Chief Development Officer (CDO). The District Agriculture Officer and Deputy Agriculture Director will be members of the committee.

Principal Secretary, Agriculture Devesh Chaturvedi, in his letter on Wednesday, has already directed all District Magistrates, particularly those in eastern Uttar Pradesh, to remain on high alert for the movement of locusts.

Doctor Navin Kumar Singh of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra said that locust movement is determined by the direction of the wind.

"Locusts have entered Uttar Pradesh from Jhansi in Bundelkhand region after devouring green crops in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The locust movement usually takes place late evening and they eat up the crops at night before moving out the following day," he said.

District Magistrates of districts on the Uttar Pradesh-Madhya Pradesh border, in particular, have been asked to remain vigilant and prepared for the locust attacks since the swarm has already made it presence felt in the Jhansi district.

Farmers have been asked to spray pesticides in their farmlands and also play loud music since locusts are said to turn away if they hear loud music.