Two new groups of locusts enter via Dang
KATHMANDU, JULY 12
To add to the fears of the farmers two new groups of locusts have entered Nepal today. As per the Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre (PQPMC) two new groups of locusts were seen in Dang district this morning.
As per the centre, those groups of locusts travelled to Nepal via Sitapur and Baharaich area of Uttar Pradesh in India and reached ward no 2 and 3 of Gadhawa Rural Municipality of Dang.
The centre has said that these new groups of locusts might have a huge impact in Pyuthan and Arghakhanchi districts. “There is a high risk of these new groups of locusts reaching Pyuthan and Arghakhanchi and they might affect the crops there. Hence, the centre has directed concerned authorities to remain alert and use control measures to minimise the impact of the pests,” the centre stated.
The centre has also directed the concerned authorities of Provinces 1, 2 and 5 to remain alert as there is a high risk of locusts entering these provinces.
Just a week back the centre had stated that the impact of locusts was declining and due to the normal wind direction locusts were unlikely to enter the country. However, the wind again changed direction in the last couple of days due to which Nepal is again at risk of locusts.
Issuing a notice on July 10, the centre had informed that five large swarms of the insects have seen moving northward from Rajasthan of India that are currently spread over 400 hectares of the area around Sikar of Rajasthan.
The maturing locusts that should have migrated toward the deserts of Rajasthan in the west due to favourable weather are now likely to move northeast.
Although the locusts are unable to move at night and during the rain, there is still the risk of them entering Nepal with the wind in the next few days, the centre informed.
Desert locusts have damaged crops cultivated on 1,100 hectares of land across the country. According to the Locusts Information Centre, eight districts have reported damage caused by locusts till date. Of them, Dang is the worst hit and Palpa the least.
A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 13, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.
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