BARGARH : Panic gripped farmers of Lahanda village in Attabira block after villagers confused a swarm of grasshopper-like insects with locusts. On Wednesday evening, villagers of Lahanda found a huge swarm of insects, that looked like locusts, over their agriculture fields. They alleged that the insects were eating the leaves of cotton plant and sheesham trees. Subsequently, they informed the village level workers (VLWs) of Lahanda and Godbhaga who rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
The VLWs then informed the block agriculture officer of Attabira about the invasion of insects who in turn conveyed the matter to district officials.On Thursday, a team of experts including Deputy Director of Agriculture, Bargarh Dinabandhu Gandhi, head of Gambharpali Krushi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Nrusingh Charan Barik, another scientist from KVK Sanat Meher and head of surveillance team RN Senapati visited the village to assess the situation and confirmed that the insects are not locusts. Later necessary insecticides were sprayed over the crop fields in the village.
Gandhi said, “We observed the insects and found that they look similar to locusts but are not as harmful. They have smaller wings and cannot fly long distance. Besides, they feed on smaller leaves. They can be easily controlled with deltamethrin. We have prescribed use of insecticide to local farmers.”
One of the scientists of Gambharpali KVK said, “We had sent pictures of the insects to OUAT, Bhubaneswar and IG College of Agricultural Sciences in Raipur to reconfirm that they are not locusts. They look similar to grasshoppers. The farmers need not panic as the insects are not harmful for their crops.”