Telangana on high alert over possible locust attack, CM warns officials

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday (June 10) instructed officials to be on high alert as there may be a possible locust attack in the state. The Chief Minister held a review meeting on the important measures to be taken for protecting the state from a possible attack by locusts, after receiving latest updates on the movement and location of the grasshoppers.

Last month, the swarms had entered the country in three phases attacking areas in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The locust attack was the worst invasion in the last 27 years. Recently, the insects has come near Telangana and are now said to beat the Azmi village near Ramtek in Maharashtra, which is about 200 km away from the Maharashtra-Telangana state border.

In case the locusts travel towards the south direction, they may reach Telangana within a short span of time. According to experts, there is a good possibility of the locusts hitting Telangana anytime between June 20 – July 5, which is monsoon crop season time for the state.

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In order to prevent the invasion, the chief minister has warned officials. Rao also asked District Collectors and other officials in around eight districts bordering Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, to be on alert. The situation will be reviewed and step will be taken accordingly. The CM also constituted a special team under the leadership of Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to check for the measures. The team will be monitoring the movement of the locusts and suggest the important steps to be taken.