Locusts enter Haryana districts; agri minister says necessary action taken

Swarms of locusts entered Sirsa, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri and Mahendragarh districts of Haryana, Agriculture Minister J P Dalal said on Sunday. He said the locusts entered the districts on Saturday, with some settling in the fields during the night, adding officials swung into action and took necessary steps to ward off the threat posed by the short-horned grasshoppers.

The minister said the agriculture department deployed fire tenders filled with chemicals and tractor-mounted spray guns to kill the insects.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has directed deputy commissioners of these and adjoining districts to remain alert, Dalal said. He said deputy commissioners (DCs)