Farm official says the present lot is 'mad insects' causing no damage.

SAHIWAL -- Swarms of locusts have landed in different villages of Harrapa, Chichawatni and Pakpattan areas during the last 30 hours, with reports of damage to crops over hundreds of acres.

While farmers allege inaction on the part of the agriculture department, officials concerned claimed the present locust 'consists of small immature mad flyers not damaging or eating crop.'

Swarms of locusts first landed in Noorpur, Haripur and Malkian Hans areas. Villagers said the locusts in millions could be seen on Noorpur Road, Malkain Hans where they attacked trees, fields and fruit farms. They said attack had badly damaged crop of wheat, potato and fodder. The villagers were employing desperate methods like making noise to contain the damage. Some villagers mounted loud speakers on their tractors to add to noise.

In Chichawatni tehsil, insects landed in dozens of villages. Dawn learnt from sources that villages 8/11-L, 7/11-L, Kasowal and Ghaziabad were the most affected. Farmers said insects had badly damaged peas, pulses, potato, tomato, wheat, canola and fodder crops.

Malik Jahanzeb of Kasowal old Dawn by phone that locusts had inflicted heavy losses to farmers.

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