Locusts’ swarm spotted in another Bihar district, alert sounded

PATNA—A swarm of locusts were spotted in yet another district of Bihar on Friday evening a day after it had reached Rohtas district

Authorities said locusts’ swarm reached Goplagnaj district on Friday evening after which they resorted to chemical spraying to drive the insects away.

District agriculture officer Ved Narayn Singh said they had alerted the block agriculture officers in the district and asked them to be ready with chemical spray.

ALSO READ: Locusts swarm attacks Bihar’s Rohtas district

“The team is camping on the spot and ready with fire tenders to start chemical spray. We are waiting for locusts to settle,” the agriculture officer told the media on Friday.

On Wednesday, a small swarm of locusts was Kochas block of Rohtas district but as soon as they were noticed, a team of agriculture staffs sprayed chemicals on them as they fled.

“It seems the small swarm of locusts had possibly come from Pragraj (in Uttar Pradesh) to escape chemical spray on them,” Rohtas district agriculture officer Radhan Raman said.

ALSO READ: Bihar agriculture dept officials told to make night stay along the border as locust swarms come closer

He added some 20 percents of locusts were killed by chemical spray while the remaining fled.

Raman said locusts’ attack at this time may not cause much harm since the paddy had just been shown in the field while new leaves on Peepal and Shisham trees are already available in plenty for their consumption.

“They love to consume new leaves of this trees which taste sweet,” the agriculture officer said adding they were fully prepared to repulse the locusts’ attacks.