Adilabad: There is an overwhelming concern that there could be locust attacks on agriculture fields between June 27 and July 15.
The state government is worried that the attack by locust swarms could have an adverse effect on the standing crops during the kharif season and result in a massive loss to both crops and farmers. This is more so as this time the government is encouraging commercial crops like cotton, soya, paddy and red gram under its controlled agriculture initiative. It is said that loss would be higher if locust swarms enter when standing crops have grown to significant levels.
The Adilabad district administration is making efforts to face the locust menace through various methods. Taking serious note of the impending danger, the government has alerted authorities of districts sharing a border with Maharashtra.
Minister for forest and endowment A Indrakaran Reddy said they fear that the locust may attack after entering from Maharashtra from around June 27. He said officials have been asked to make arrangements to tackle the situation, particularly in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal and Khammam districts.
Indrakaran Reddy said that as locust swarms move by wind direction, officials are assessing their direction frequently and alerting the authorities concerned. Recalling a childhood memory, he spoke about how locust swarms entered their native village Yellapalli in Nirmal and how villagers chased them away with drum beats and loud sounds.
He said that chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will launch Hairtha Haram on June 25 and saplings are ready in nurseries under Telanganaku Haritha Haram.
