Yet another locust attack in Banaskantha

Palanpur: Farmers in Vav taluka in Banaskantha district are facing another locust attack from neighbouring state of Rajasthan.
A swarm of locust has descended over Mithavi Charan village of Vav on Friday. “The locusts will settle of the ground after dark. This is when we will spray insecticide and destroy it. We cannot do that when the insects are in air,” said K L Meena, assistant director agriculture department, Banaskantha, while on his way to the village.
“Our staff is fully equipped and have sufficient means to control the swarm before it can go further.We were cautioned by the union and Rajasthan government about the locust attack some week back,” he added.
Deputy director agriculture in Banaskantha, P K Patel said that the swarm is spread over 20 hectare of land and efforts were on to control it. “The locust originated from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan,” he added.
A similar locust attack in January had destroyed rabi crop in Mavsari Radhanaseda and Kundaliya villages. According to P D Gadhvi, sarpanch of Mithavi Charn, the locust invasion has added to the woes of farmers yet again.
Earlier, the farmers of Banaskantha faced unseasonal rains which was followed by locust attack, which had impacted the rabi cop.
The state government had also given compensation to farmers affected by the locust attack.