Locusts' attack: Chishtian farmers decry govt apathy.

BAHAWALNAGAR -- Scores of farmers belonging to various villages of Chishtian on Saturday blocked the highway for hours at Chak Abdullah to protest against a lack of preparation by the agriculture department to prevent locusts' attacks and demanded an immediate action to save their crops.

The farmers raised slogans against the officials of the agriculture department and demanded action against them. Flashing placards inscribed with slogans against the department, they also sought compensation for the damage.

The farmers told journalists that wheat, mustard, corn and other crops over thousands of acres had been damaged in Chishtian, Fort Abbas and Haroonabad. However, they said, the officials of the department had taken no action to prevent the damage even after the farmers lodged complaints.

The farmers said they were helpless in the face of attack and used utensils, pots and pans to scare the locusts away.

They demanded that the officials who had failed to take timely action should be...