KCR directs officials to be on high alert over possible locust attack in Telangana

After reports of locust attack on a village, about 200 km away from Telangana, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has directed state officials to be on high alert over possible locust attack anytime between June 20 to July 5. Experts have said that there is a possibility of a locust attack anytime between June 20 to July 5 when monsoon crop season would begin in the state.

Hyderabad (Telangana):Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) on Wednesday directed state officials to be on high alert over possible locust attack anytime between June 20 to July 5.

According to the Chief Minister's Office statement, the locusts are now at Azmi village near Ramtek in Maharashtra state, which is about 200 km away from Telangana.

"Last month the swarms of locusts, who have entered the country in three phases, have come up to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. But they did not come up to the Telangana state. But a swarm of Locusts has come near the state recently. If the locusts travel towards the south, they will reach our state within a short span of time," the CMO said in a statement.

In view of this, Chief Minister Rao held a review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan on measures to be taken to protect the state from the possible locust attack.

According to the experts, there is a possibility of locusts hitting Telangana anytime between June 20 to July 5 when monsoon crop season would begin in the state.

Hence, the Chief Minister instructed that strict measures should be taken so that locusts would not enter the state.

KCR instructed that the officials in eight districts bordering Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh districts to be on high alert and take measures.

He has constituted a special team under the leadership of Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to oversee the measures taken to prevent locusts from entering the state.

ANI