India / PM Modi promises help to all states affected by locust attack

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that help will be extended to all those affected by locust attack. he made the announcement on his monthly radio address ‘Mann ki Baat’.

“Many parts of the country are under locust attack. These attacks have reminded us that how much damage this small insect could cause. A huge area gets affected by this attack,” PM Modi said.

“Adopting new innovations, I am confident that we will be able to deal with this crisis in agricultura sector,” he added.

Locust swarms from Pakistan have entered Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, threatening major damage to standing cotton crops and vegetables. Rajasthan is the worst-affected state.

The swarms of locusts has now gone further inside with administration in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj (in eastern part of the state) preparing for a possible attack from the migratory pests.

There are three major regions - Dausa in Rajasthan, Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Chattarpur district of Madhya Pradesh - where the locusts have attacked predominately.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has asked people to burst firecrackers and beat drums to prevent attacks by locust swarms.

The minister took stock of the situation out of locust attack in his Katol constituency.

Speaking to farmers, he said: “Whenever locust swarms attack, villagers should be alert. Locust attacks can be avoided by bursting firecrackers, the smoke of burning tires or if drums are played.”

The desert locust is a species of locust, a swarming short-horned grasshopper. They are known to devour everything in their path, posing an unprecedented threat to food supply and livelihoods of millions of people.