#Locust attack in Madhya Pradesh

[latestbreakingnewsupdates]

Locust Attacks Posing Serious Threat to Food Security in Parts of East Africa, India: UN Agency

Locust Attacks Posing Serious Threat to Food Security in Parts of East Africa, India: UN Agency

Locust assaults are posing a critical risk to meals safety in elements of East Africa, India and Pakistan consequently of altering local weather situations that may be linked to human exercise, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has stated.

The specialised company of the United Nations stated excessive climate occasions and climatic adjustments akin to will increase in temperature…

[hulnews]

Locust Attacks Posing Serious Threat to Food Security in Parts of East Africa, India: UN Agency

Locust Attacks Posing Serious Threat to Food Security in Parts of East Africa, India: UN Agency

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Locust attacks are posing a serious threat to food security in parts of East Africa, India and Pakistan as a result of changing climate conditions that can be linked to human activity, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has said.

The specialised agency of the United Nations said extreme weather events and climatic changes such as increases in temperature and rainfall over…

[khabaruttarakhandki]

35 हजार लोगों के हिस्से का अनाज चट कर सकता 4 करोड़ टिड्डियों का दल, कई राज्यों में फैला है आतंक

फायर ब्रिगेड व दवाई छिड़कने वाले पंप मैदान में  रतलाम के कई गांव में टिड्डी दल का झुंड उड़ता हुआ नजर आया. किसान परेशान थे अपने स्तर पर उन्हें भगाने की कोशिश की, वहीं प्रशासन 4 फायर ब्रिगेड, 5 दवाई छिड़कने वाले ट्रैक्टर पंप के साथ मैदान में उतरा. आगर मालवा जिले में टिड्डी दल ने रतलाम से प्रवेश किया. गुडभेली, ढाबला क्षत्री, गुदरावन गांव में बबूल, नीम, आम, संतरा  के पेड़ों पर बैठे तीन किलोमीटर लंबे और दो किलोमीटर चौड़ा टिड्डी दल बैठा था, जिसे भगाने डीजे बजा, थालियां बजीं..पम्प की मदद से मेलाथियानऔर क्लोरो पाइरिफास का छिड़काव हुआ.

टिड्डी दल ने गोभी की फसल की चौपट आगर मालवा से टिड्डी दल उज्जैन जिले के रना हेड़ा गांव में दिखा. दिल्ली से आई टीम ने टैंकरों से उनपर दवाई का स्प्रे किया. उज्जैन से धार के कई गांवों में टिड्डी उड़ते पहुंचे किसान जब तक खेत में पहुंचे उनकी फसल वो चट कर चुके थे. राजेश पटेल के खेतों में टिड्डी दल ने हमला किया था वो बताते हैं रात में अचानक टिड्डी दल हमारे खेतों में उड़ते हुए पहुंच गया सूचना मिलते ही हम अपने खेतों को देखने पहुंच गए जब देखा तो गोभी की फसल पूरी तरह टिड्डी दल चौपट कर चुका था, 2 लाख का नुकसान हो गया.

     ढोल-पटाखों से भगाया गया धार से टिड्डी दल इंदौर के सांतेर, भिडोता, काछी बड़ोदा जैसे गांवों में फसल को नुकसान पहुंचाते हुआ आगे बढ़ा. किसानों ने अपने स्तर पर इन्हें भगाने पटाखे चलाए,थाली बजाई. लॉकडॉउन और बीज नहीं मिलने से किसान खासे परेशान हैं. ऐसे में खरगोन जिले में टिड्डी गैंग की दस्तक उनकी और मुश्किलें बढ़ाने वाला है.

टिड्डी दल रतलाम, मंदसौर, बड़नगर, इंदौर देपालपुर महू से होता हुआ खरगोन जिले के बड़वाह तहसील के बलवाड़ा , थरवर ,गव्लु पंचायत में घुस गया. इसके बाद टिड्डी दल सीधे वीआईपी इलाके पहुंचा. मुख्यमंत्री शिवराज सिंह चौहान के जिले, पटत्तलाई, झोलियापुर, बारदा, नरेला, कोठरा ,चक्ल���ी जैसे गांवों में मूंग को नुकसान पहुंचाया. टिड्डियों का दल ढोल, पटाखों से आगे भागा.

35 हजार लोगों के हिस्सा का अनाज खा सकता है मालवा-निमाड़, नर्मदा अंचल और बुंदेलखंड के बाद विंध्य क्षेत्र में भी टिड्डी घुसे, लेकिन सतना में घेराबंदी कर उनका सफाया कर दिया गया. सतना कलेक्टर अजय कटेसरिया ने कहा दो टिड्डी दल आए थे, मूंग के एरिया में नहीं गये, आम यूकिलिप्टस को टारगेट बना रहे हैं एक है एक रीवा के रास्ते निकल गया है लेकिन उसको डैमेज हुआ है.

अलग-अलग राज्यों में टिड्डियों के हमले से 1 लाख 25 हजार एकड़ खेतों को नुकसान पहुंचा है. 4 करोड़ टिड्डियों का दल 35 हजार लोगों के हिस्सा का अनाज खा सकता है. मध्यप्रदेश के कृषि मंत्री कमल पटेल ने कहा हमने मीटिंग की हाई अलर्ट किया, भारत सरकार ने भी हाई अलर्ट किया, फायर गाड़ियों से स्प्रे करके 70 परसेंट का सफाया कर दिया है, जिन किसानों को नुकसान हुआ है, उन्हें आरबीसी 6 (4 ) के अंतर्गत मुआवजा देकर क्षतिपूर्ति की जाएगी.

मालवा-निमाड़, नर्मदा अंचल और बुंदेलखंड के बाद विंध्य क्षेत्र में भी #टिड्डी_दल घुसा . लेकिन सतना में घेराबंदी कर उनका सफाया कर दिया गया.@ndtvindia#Locustsattackpic.twitter.com/webkDUaoI5

— Anurag Dwary (@Anurag_Dwary) May 27, 2020

एक दिन में 100 से 200 किलोमीटर तक का सफर तय टिडि्डयों का जीवन सामान्यतया 3 से 6 माह का होता है. नमी वाले इलाकों में ये एक बार में 20 से 200 तक अंडे देती हैं, जो 10 से 20 दिन में फूटते हैं. शिशु टिड्डी का पेड़-पौधे खाती है, 5-6 हफ्ते में बड़ी हो जाती है. इन्हें मारने का सबसे अच्छा उपाय अंडों के फूटते ही उन पर रसायन का छिड़काव है. टिड्डी अपने वजन से कहीं अधिक भोजन एक दिन में खाती है. ये एक दिन में 100 से 200 किलोमीटर तक का सफर तय कर सकती है  फिलहाल मध्यप्रदेश में 8000 करोड़ रू की मूंग की फसल को इनसे खतरा है, बाकी राज्यों में ये कपास और मिर्ची को निशाना बना सकते हैं.

VIDEO: टिड्डी दल के हमले की आफत

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संयुक्त राष्ट्र ने दी चेतावनी, भारत में फिर से हो सकता है टिड्डी दल का हमला

संयुक्त राष्ट्र ने दी चेतावनी, भारत में फिर से हो सकता है टिड्डी दल का हमला

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(फोटो साभार: ट्वीटर) संयुक्त राष्ट्र के खाद्य सुरक्षा संगठन (UNFAO) ने चेतावनी जारी कर कहा है कि जुलाई के दौरान भारत फिर से टिड्डी दल (Locust Attack) का हमला हो सकता है.

[vilaspatelvlogs]

एक्सपर्ट्स से जानिए इन्हें कैसे खत्म करना है, क्योंकि किसानों के पास बचे हैं सिर्फ 30 दिन

एक्सपर्ट्स से जानिए इन्हें कैसे खत्म करना है, क्योंकि किसानों के पास बचे हैं सिर्फ 30 दिन

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टिडि्डयों को अंड्‌डे देने में एक माह का वक्त लगेगा, इनका दूसरा हमला अगस्त-सितंबर में हो सकता है

टिडि्डयां रात में फसलों पर बैठती हैं और सुबह तक खाती हैं, किसान खेतों में शाम के वक्त धुआं करें, टीन बजाएं

टिडि्डयों का एक दल एक रात में करीब 3500 लोगों के बराबर खाना खा जाता है, 120 से 150 किमी उड़ती हैं

गौरव पांडेय

Jun 06, 2020, 05:50 AM IST

टिड्डियों ने देश के किसानों पर तीन दशक का सबसे…

[news104]

Govt Was Warned about Swarms, Should Expect More Waves of Migration in July: UN’s Locust Forecasting Officer

Govt Was Warned about Swarms, Should Expect More Waves of Migration in July: UN’s Locust Forecasting Officer

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Locusts swarm above a mango tree orchard in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan, Friday, May 29, 2020.

(AP Photo/Tariq Qureshi)

This is the second time this year that locust swarms have been seen. Early in January, many districts of Rajasthan witnessed locust swarms and farmers suffered heavy losses as they devoured standing Rabi crops.

News18.com

Last Updated: May 30, 2020, 12:01 AM IST

[indianhelp]

Pakistan Locusts Attack (Tiddi Dal) In Chhattisgarh Raipur Latest News Updates; One Crore Locusts Reached Balaghat Khairlanji | एक करोड़ टिडि्डयां 211 किमी दूर बालाघाट पहुंचीं, हवा का रुख पूर्व दिशा की ओर रहा तो कवर्धा में प्रवेश कर सकती हैं

Pakistan Locusts Attack (Tiddi Dal) In Chhattisgarh Raipur Latest News Updates; One Crore Locusts Reached Balaghat Khairlanji | एक करोड़ टिडि्डयां 211 किमी दूर बालाघाट पहुंचीं, हवा का रुख पूर्व दिशा की ओर रहा तो कवर्धा में प्रवेश कर सकती हैं

तयबोड़ला, सहसपुर लोहारा और कवर्धा ब्लॉक के लिए खतरा, उत्तर दिशा को ओर भागे तो पंडरिया पहुंचेगा टिडि्डयों का दल

हवा का रुख तय करेगा टिडि्डयों की दिशा, कृषि अधिकारियों की टीम सीमावर्ती क्षेत्र के लिए हुई रवाना, निगरानी रखेगी

IndiaQue

May 29, 2020, 07:17 AM IST

कवर्धा. छत्तीसगढ़ के कबीरधाम जिले से करीब 211 किमी दूर बालाघाट जिले के खैरलांजी में करीब एक करोड़ से अधिक टिडि्डयों का दल पहुंच गया है। यह…

[cool-magazineznews]

States step us efforts to tackle locust attack: All you need to know | India News – Times of India NEW DELHI: India is battling the worst desert locust outbreak in recent times. The crop-destroying swarms first attacked Rajasthan and have now spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

[nilnews4]

Locust Alert In UP After Swarms Move Through Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh Locusts don't attack animals or humans, but can devastate crops (Representationals) Lucknow: At least 10 Uttar Pradesh districts were on alert Tuesday after swarms of locusts were spotted in Mahoba and Jhansi districts, moving into the state after attacking crops in neighbouring Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, officials said.

[khabrisala]

Locust attack in 15 Madhya Pradesh districts; pesticides sprayed through fire tenders Image Source : AP/ REPRESENTATIVE Locust attack in 15 Madhya Pradesh districts; pesticides sprayed through fire tenders  Several districts of western Madhya Pradesh were attacked by desert locusts early on Wednesday.

[mericurialthoughts]

#LocustAttack!

Corona virus, economic recession, cyclone and now... a locust attack. One problem doesn't get over and yet another one crops up.

So, what are locusts? Why are they attacking us? What are the reasons behind this? Some people in our country believe that Pakistan is responsible for thisPakistan has sent these terrorist locusts to India and these locusts are basically a conspiracy of Pakistan….hahaha

No, I am not joking. Hear it out.

"India asks the weak and cowardly Pakistan has Pakistan been resorting to the locust conspiracy after the terrorist conspiracy? So Pakistan is now turning locusts into terrorists and sending them to India. Has Pakistan been relying on locusts now instead of the army in order to attack India? Not only me, the whole of India raises this question" says Arnab Goswami!

Somebody please ask Arnab Goswami how this conspiracy works….Is there a nano GPS chip fixed onto these locusts with which Imran Khan is controlling them through a remote? How does that work?

It makes me laugh to think that people like Arnab Goswami consider their audience to be utter fools That no matter what rubbish they utter, the viewers will take that to be true. That's just too much!

Reverting to the topic, we will find out the actual reasons behind the locust attacks today and what innovative solutions are being used worldwide to counter it from which we can learn something.

Come, let us see

First, let us learn something about locusts: Locust is an insect which is quite similar to grasshopper and cricket. Infact, all these three insects belong to the same family. Locusts are generally found in desert regions and the unique thing about this is that as compared to grasshoppers and crickets.

It exists in two phases- It has two forms which is not seen in grasshoppers and crickets normally. These forms are- When it is present alone.This is called the solitary phase: But when it is present in crowds, and the environmental conditions are congenial. For example, wet soil after recent rains with trees and plants in full bloom, then they transform their forms completely.

This is called the gregarious phase. This metamorphosis of form changes everything about them- their behaviour, habits, appearance. Everything is different in the solitary phase and the gregarious phase. In a similar manner, it evolves into another phase if environmental conditions are congenial.

So, we do not have a problem with the ones in their solitary phase. A problem arises when they exist in crowds and are in their gregarious phase. They are yellow and black in color. Their eating habits change in the gregarious phase. They can eat more food and more varieties of food. Their endurance increases and their movements become more rapid.Even their brain size becomes larger

What's interesting is that they can transform into the gregarious phase from the solitary phase anytime. At any point of time in their lives as long as environmental conditions for it are congenial. The apt environmental conditions are- recent rains, moist soil and lush vegetation around. The swarms of these locusts are created in their gregarious phase. And these swarms destroy everything in their way. Because, like I said, their eating habits change so much that they can eat almost everything. Leaves, shoots, flowers, fruits, seeds, stems, barks- they can eat it all. They can eat almost all types of crops or non crops- be it wheat, grass, fruit trees or date palms. This is why complete destruction follows wherever they go.

How large can one locust swarm be?

The swarm found in Kenya in 2020 was 40 km by 60 km in dimension. The swarm can be as large as a rectangle of 40 kms by 60 kms. And in a swarm, there can be more than 150 million locusts within one square kilometre. A swarm can eat as much as 2,500 people in one day. So you can imagine the extent of its scale and how much destruction it can cause. And this is why it is said that the locusts are a kind of species that have the most economic impact on the entire planet as compared to any other animal species.

You can see the regions in which this happens- Africa, Middle east, Pakistan and the western part of India. They are found in larger numbers here because of the large extent of the desert areas in this region. and these are the areas in which they cause the most destruction. The locust attack in India today is the worst in the past 27 years in India. 1993 was the last time conditions were so bad. But this is not a recent phenomena. These locust attacks have been happening for thousands of years throughout the human history. Even ancient Egyptians had drawn locusts on their tombs which tells us that there had been locusts attack even in that age. These tombs are dated around 2400 BC. This is the reason why they are mentioned in a lot of religious texts. For example, Bible and Quran mention locust plagues.

It is believed that the locust plague mentioned in Bible happened in reality in Egypt in around 1400 BC. So, this is a problem that has been festering for ages, but climate change is indirectly held responsible for the locusts attacks happening today.

The sequence of events of how it actually happened is very interesting:The Indian ocean is warming up more than usual due to the climate change;The rains become more extreme due to the enhanced heating of the ocean;Torrential rains hit East Africa around the time of December 2019;Infact, there were floods as well;East Africa includes- Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia;These countries were badly flooded during December 2019;You can see how many people were affected due to these floods;Due to floods and torrential rains, congenial environmental conditions are created for the locusts; As mentioned before; the soil becomes moist and there is abundant vegetation around due to rains; So this becomes a great opportunity for the locusts to breed and change into the gregarious phase. So the locusts began to breed in huge numbers there and a plague hit East Africa. So Around February 2020, there was a huge locust plague in Africa. After which, these swarms of locusts began to travel east. It travelled to Iran, then Pakistan and now by the time of May, this plague has begun its move towards India.

The winds of the cyclone that had hit Bengal moved in such a direction and in such a way that they. They were further pushing the swarm of the locusts towards India. They wouldn't have normally travelled this way but they further moved in this direction because of the cyclone winds and this is exerting a very negative influence on Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana.

So the question is what are the solutions to fight this locust plague? 

The first and the most common solution adopted by most of the countries most frequently is simply spraying them with pesticides and insecticides either on the ground or in the air with the help of a helicopter and then they would die.The problem with this solution is that this has a lot of negative impacts. Spraying pesticides has a negative impact in general on the environment , the people and their food. It exerts a negative impact on other things as well. And pesticides need to be sprayed in huge quantities in order for it to show effect.

 Another solution could be the use of eco friendly pesticides. But experts have observed that the eco friendly pesticides- the ones that do not harm the environment-do not kill them as effectively.They take some time to show effect. Hence they are not as effective.

 The third is the use of loud noises. The locusts flee from any kind of noise.Djs, music on a loudspeaker or any kind of loud noise- make them scarper. This is a solution that our farmers have implemented. But the problem with this solution is obvious- It can be implemented on a very short scale. And if your drive away the locusts from one place then they are going to attack another..

 But there's another unique and interesting solution which was tested out in Pakistan. This solution was tested out in a small scale in Pakistan's Okara district. Basically, the farmers were asked to trap these locusts and collect them and submit them in bags. They would be paid in return for this and then these locusts would be milled and used as chicken feed. That is, they would basically become food for chicken and help in feeding them because locusts are an extremely great source of protein. Now, this solution is extremely innovative.

Think about it- The farmers are also making profit in the form of money given to collect them and it is also generating profit when it is being used as a chicken feed. The credit of implementing this solution goes to Muhammad Khurshid. He is a civil servant in the Ministry of national food security and research in Pakistan and Johar Ali- a bio-technologist of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council. It was his idea. And he says that when he first broke this idea to the people, then everyone laughed. Nobody thought that this idea could seriously be implemented in real.

 So what is the math behind this idea?

The math is that he believes that first of all, the farmers can trap them easily with and these locusts do not fly in the air at night time. So they can be trapped very easily at night. They say that when the farmers collect these locusts and deliver them in bags, then they are paid 20 Pakistani rupees per kg

In India, this would amount to be around Rs 9 per kilo. The farmers are being this amount when they collect them in bags and submit them and he also believes that the number of locusts a farmer can trap overnight.

He can earn 20,000 Pakistani rupees, (that is, around 9,000 Indian rupees) in exchange for that. He also claimed that these locusts are a source of profit for the animal feeding industry as well because when these locusts would be used as chicken feed, they have 70% proteins. As compared to soybeans which are presently used in chicken feed and have only 50% protein content. Such a high level of protein (becomes available) when Pakistan imports soybean from the other countries. So this is profitable for even Pakistan as a country. Since, it would not import then it could save up on its foreign exchange. Animal feeding industry can also save up as well by using locusts. So this idea was tested out in a small village of a district and it was extremely successful. Now talks are in progress for its implementation on a large scale. And I believe that the Indian farmers can learn a lot from this too.And please do not brand me an anti national for bringing forth Pakistan's idea. I'd like to point out even the RSS members are exhorting to take inspiration from this idea if its successful. So this is not a matter of being anti national.

They say that a successful idea should be taken inspiration from, no matter which country it comes from. I adhere to the same belief. That if an idea is so great, interesting, innovative and is successful, then we must try it out as well.

Content Credit: YouTuber Dhruv Rathee

 source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIJMVPpXnDo

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LOCUST - A New Threat To The Country

Author : Aryan Malvankar

India is suffering one of the worst locust attacks in its history. India is battling the worst desert locust outbreak in recent times. Swarms of locusts first attacked Rajasthan and have now spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

The Delhi Agriculture Department in an advisory said, "As the swarm of locusts flies in daytime, and rests during the night, it should not be allowed to rest at night." Delhi's forest department is considering covering the saplings in its nurseries with polythene to protect them against the desert locust attack.

About 90,000 hectares in 20 districts of Rajasthan have been affected due to the locust attack, an official said Thursday 28-May-2020

Swarms of locust have moved from Sri Ganganagar, Nagaur, Jaipur, Dausa, Karauli and Swai Madhopur towards other areas in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh after the authorities conducted operations to tackle them.

Crop over 4,000 hectares in Sri Ganganagar and 100 hectares in Nagaur have been destroyed.

Now lets understand more about LOCUST-

Locusts are short-horned grasshoppers belong to the family Acrididae. They have big hind legs for jumping. Locusts differ from grasshoppers in that they have the ability to change their behavior and habits and can migrate over large distances.

These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circumstances they become more abundant and change their behavior and habits, becoming gregarious. No taxonomic distinction is made between locust and grasshopper species; the basis for the definition is whether a species forms swarms under intermittently suitable conditions.

These grasshoppers are normally innocuous, their numbers are low, and they do not pose a major economic threat to agriculture. However, under suitable conditions of drought followed by rapid vegetation growth, serotonin in their brains triggers a dramatic set of changes: they start to breed abundantly, becoming gregarious and nomadic (loosely described as migratory) when their populations become dense enough. They form bands of wingless nymphs which later become swarms of winged adults. Both the bands and the swarms move around and rapidly strip fields and cause damage to crops. The adults are powerful fliers; they can travel great distances, consuming most of the green vegetation wherever the swarm settles.

Locusts have formed plagues since prehistory. The ancient Egyptians carved them on their tombs and the insects are mentioned in the Iliad, the Mahabharata, the Bible and the Quran. Swarms have devastated crops and been a contributory cause of famines and human migrations. More recently, changes in agricultural practices and better surveillance of locations where swarms tend to originate, have meant that control measures can be used at an early stage. The traditional means of control are based on the use of insecticides from the ground or the air, but other methods using biological control are proving effective.

Swarming behavior decreased in the 20th century, but despite modern surveillance and control methods, the potential for swarms to form is still present, and when suitable climatic conditions occur and vigilance lapses, plagues can still occur. Locusts are large insects and convenient for use in research and the study of zoology in the classroom. They are also edible insects; they have been eaten throughout history and are considered a delicacy in many countries.

Unlike most grasshoppers, locusts can form large groups or swarms. Desert locusts normally live in an area in a band across Africa south of the Sahara and into India. When a locust plague occurs, the swarms move into Africa, Asia, Europe and beyond. Swarms can migrate over huge distances. When there are lots of locusts crowding together, often to find food, swarms can develop.

It takes approximately two weeks for the fledgling locust to reach sexual maturity. Adults often group together into swarms containing thousands of locusts. Adult locusts typically live about 10 weeks.

Locusts provide food for wildlife, help to control weeds and benefit ecosystems in many other ways. Humans are responsible for Africanized a.k.a. "killer" bees, due to interbreeding of honeybees from Europe and southern Africa.

Both the bands and the swarms move around and rapidly strip fields and cause damage to crops. The adults are powerful fliers; they can travel great distances, consuming most of the green vegetation wherever the swarm settles. Locusts have formed plagues since prehistory.

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Locusts Moving Towards MP from Maharashtra, Telangana Govt Taking Precautionary Measures: Official

Locusts Moving Towards MP from Maharashtra, Telangana Govt Taking Precautionary Measures: Official

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A swarm of locusts. (Credits: AFP)

The Telangana government on Thursday said it is taking all precautions to prevent locusts from entering the state and officials have been instructed to keep pesticides ready at the state’s borders with Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

PTI

Last Updated: May 30, 2020, 12:01 AM IST

The locusts swarm detected in Maharashtra is said to…

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Locust swarms' attack: Centre lists out various measures taken to curb the menace

Locust swarms’ attack: Centre lists out various measures taken to curb the menace

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Starting from April 11 till July 9, control operations have been done in 1,51,269 hectares area in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana by Locust Circle Offices (LCOs), it added.

The Centre has taken various steps to control locust swarms, and carried out operations in over 1.5 lakh hectares area since April 11 to prevent crop losses. “As per the…

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Madhya Pradesh Fights Biggest Pest Attack By Crop-Eating Locusts In 27 Years

[liveindiatimes]

Locust Swarms Spotted Near Delhi Airport, Pilots Urged To Be Cautious During Landing, Take-Off

https://liveindiatimes.com/locust-swarms-spotted-near-delhi-airport-pilots-urged-to-be-cautious-during-landing-take-off/

India is facing its worst locust attack in recent years.

New Delhi:

Delhi Air Traffic Control (ATC) on Saturday directed pilots of all airlines to take necessary precautions during landing and take-off of aircraft in view of locust swarms seen near the airport in areas along Gurugram-Dwarka Expressway.

A team has been set up to monitor the situation.

“Pilots of all airlines have been warned about the locust has seen near the airport, we have set up a team to monitor in view of the locust,” a senior ATC official told ANI.

Present Delhi Airport is operational and all flights movements are as per schedule, an airport official said.

After the resumption of domestic flight operation, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport operates around 500 total aircraft in a day.

Swarms of locusts that have crossed over to India from neighbouring Pakistan have been causing havoc in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh ravaging standing crops for over a month now.

On Saturday swarms were witnessed in multiple locations in the Gurugram district including at Sector-5, Palam Vihar.

India is facing its worst locust attack in recent years. The desert locust is a species of locust, a swarming short-horned grasshopper, and poses an unprecedented threat to the food supply and livelihoods of millions of people.

On Friday the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued an operations circular on locusts to generate awareness amongst the aviation fraternity on the risks of flying through locust swarms.

Stating that generally locust are found at lower levels and therefore pose a threat to aircraft in the critical landing and take-off phase of the flight,” the DGCA warned that “almost all air intake ports of the aircraft will be prone to ingestion in large numbers if the aircraft flies through a swarm.”

The DGCA circular said that the pilot’s forward vision can be impeded if large numbers of the insects land on the windshield flagging it as a “grave concern during landing, taxi and takeoff phase.” it said. It urged pilots to consider against the use of wipers to remove the locusts from the windshields as it can cause the spread of the smear even more.

The circular said air traffic controllers, when aware of the presence of locusts nearby, should immediately inform all arriving and departing flights, the circular said.

The aviation regulator urged airlines to not fly flights during a locust invasion as far as possible. “The only favourable aspect is that locusts do not fly at night, thus providing a better opportunity to sight and avoid them,” the circular added.

Live India Times