Locust attack leaves crops badly damaged in Muzaffargarh

MUZAFFARGARH: A huge locust swarm attacked the crops and damaged them badly on western area of the district, said sources of agriculture departments.

According to sources, 10 kilometers long and three km wide swarm entered the district from Chowk Sarwar Shaheed on May 13 travelling from Rojhan of Rajanpur district. On Thursday night, the swarm landed at Mahmood Lot and UC Noor Kubra by travelling with western side. They said now the locusts are moving towards Tehsil Jataoi and Alipur via Turkish Colony Mouza Sharifpura, Adda Ghulam Ali, Basiti Jannat Wala and Khangarh.

DC Amjad Suhaib Tareen along with other officials visited the affected areas on Thursday night and inspected the spray being conducted by agricultural department and reviewed its performance, they concluded. –APP

Meanwhile, in Toba Tek Singh, farmers of several villages are striving to avert severe attack of locusts by making noise and burning branches of trees in tehsils of Toba Tek Singh and Pirmahal.

According to Agriculture Department’s Deputy Director Nisar Ahmad Mahmood, the farmers of the district were asked to arrange drums, utensils and firecrackers to ward off locusts from their fields.

He said locusts do not attack at night and begin attack in day time and the department has already arranged spray machines to kill them at night and early morning.

He said farmers of Chaks 694/34-GB, 696/37-GB, 695/35-GB, 697/38-GB, 698/39-GB, 753-GB, 754-GB, 755-GB, 756-GB, 757-GB, 758-GB, 764-GB, Nawab Bhooti and Arrouti have been informed about the locusts attack.

Nisar Ahmad said focal persons have already been appointed in all tehsils of the district to supervise the department's action against the locusts. He said locusts are coming from Shorkot and Ahmadpur Sial tehsils of Jhang district and most probably they will proceed to Sahiwal district.