Locusts make a comeback in Bahawalpur.

BAHAWALPUR -- The city and several other parts of the district again came under a heavy locust attack on Friday as swarms damaged standing crops and mango orchards over vast areas.

The locust attack began from Uch Sharif where it caused damage in the riverine areas of Rasoolpur, Makhan Bela, Bakhtiari and others. On Friday, the locusts reached Ahmedpur East, Musafirkhana, Khanqah Sharif and Bahawalpur's suburbs and after passing through Yazman areas, they were heading towards the Cholistan desert.

The return of the locusts had been anticipated by the farming community whose crops and mango orchards had been damaged in previous months. Experts have forecast a massive onslaught of locusts in this area in July.

Agriculture Director (Extension) Khalid Sindhu said the swarms had travelled from Alipur in Muzzafargarh and after flying over Panjnad Headworks had entered Bahawalpur district from Uch Sharif. He claimed that on Friday, the intensity of the locust attack was low.

He said that only field teams of his department with about 47 vehicles and ample stock of insecticides were active in eliminating the locusts. Agri workers were, in fact, the front liners, who carried out anti-locust operations in the sizzling heat in the fields. He added that there was no shortage of field staff equipped with spray machines and insecticides.

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