KATHMANDU: Experts have claimed that locusts have been spotted in Lalitpur district. Locusts insects that entered Nepal through districts of Province-2, bordering India, have now reached several districts in the country in one night.s
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, locusts have been spotted in Ramechhap, Kapilvastu, Palpa, Kavrepalanchok, Syangja, Kaski, Gorkha, Sindhuli, Bara, Parsa, Sarlahi, Sindhupalanchok, Panchthar, Makwanpur, Chitwan and Rupandehi districts till Sunday noon.
Preliminary studies have shown that locusts entered Nepal from Bihar, India on Saturday between 7 am to 9 am.
The ministry is currently seeking information from India on locusts.
India has killed 50 percent of the locusts. Therefore, it is estimated that the remaining locusts have entered Nepal in small groups.
The locusts have entered Nepal through Bara, Parsa, Sarlahi and Rupandehi bordering India.
It is said that Locusts entered Nepal from India after the wind was blowing from south to north. This order of wind will continue till Monday. It is estimated that locusts will continue to come to Nepal from India till Monday.
Likewise, they have reached eastern Chitwan’s Kalika and Khairahani Municipality.
According to Megh Nath Timalsena, the chief of Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project Implementation Unit Chitwan, the damaging locusts have arrived at Dui Saya Bigha of Kalika-3 and Parsa of Khairahani Municipality in the district.
Though temporarily, the locals managed to chase the deadly insects by striking with catapults. After the locals’ chase, the flock flew towards the nearby forest.
Timalsena informed that technicians from the PMAMP, Agricultural Knowledge Center and the respective municipalities are studying about the insect and the threats.
He shared that a small flock of the insects was seen in the sky above Parsa region of Kharahani Municipality Saturday evening.
The authority has asked the locals to inform it instantly provided that the insects are noticed in any part of the district.
Besides, people have already reported to the Agriculture Office, Chitwan that small group of locusts was noticed in Bharatpur Metropolitan City and Ichchha Kamana Rural Municipality area.
Rajan Dhakal of Agriculture Knowledge Center informed that an emergency meeting has been organized in the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Bagmati Province today to discuss the issue.
Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, high-ranking officials at the Ministry and experts are taking part in the meeting organized at the Province Headquarter.
Dhakal informed that the authority has requested farmers to postpone harvesting of the crops and save nurseries and vegetable seedlings.
According to Dhakal, experts from Makawanpur have informed the center that larger flocks of insects were seen in Hetauda as well.
Experts estimate that the group of adults and children entering Nepal can stay in Nepal for not more than one month.
Adult locusts can live up to two weeks and baby locusts up to one month, former Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr. Dilliram Sharma said.
“An adult locust cannot survive for more than two weeks without laying eggs,” he said. “They have to go back to Rajasthan to lay eggs.” A baby locust can live in Nepal for a maximum of one month, according to him.
He said that it is possible to reach Dang and Banke if the wind speed changes by Monday. He said that the insects, which destroy crops in groups of 8-10 crore at a time, can be controlled as they only come in groups of 2-4 lakh in Nepal.
Stating that there is no need to be scared now, he said that the government can control it by using pesticides and farmers can smoke and play drums.
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