<p class="title">Fire brigade vehicles loaded with insecticide were on standby in this district on Wednesday after an alert that a swarm of locusts could cross over from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to Kamal Katiyar, deputy director in UP’s Agriculture Department, a swarm spread over a square kilometre, has been spotted in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It could enter the adjacent Jhansi district through Moth or Samthar, he said. The current wind direction increases the chances of this happening.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Swarms of locusts entered Rajasthan from Pakistan last month and then spread to other western states. Several districts in Rajasthan were affected and recently a swarm was spotted in a residential area in Jaipur.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A swarm had earlier attacked some parts of Jhansi district ion May 22 and 24 but an already alert administration, with the help of local people, eliminated over a half of it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As part of preparations for another wave, two fire brigade vehicles with insecticide have been deployed in all four tehsils of the UP district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In addition, six more vehicles are ready at the district headquarter, Katiyar said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ten municipal employees with two insecticide spraying machines have been posted in every block, Katiyar said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He said the movement of locusts will depend on the wind direction.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Going by the present direction, the locusts could enter Jhansi district from Moth and Samthar and then move towards Jalaun and Hamirpur districts in Bundelkhand region.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Locusts don’t target animals or humans but can devastate crop fields.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On Tuesday, the district administration had asked people to alert it they spot a swarm.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This is an emergency, and we need to remain vigilant. This swarm has come travelling through Iran, Pakistan, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,” Jhansi DM Andra Vamsi had said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The DM said the administration had arranged sound systems to deter locusts. Farmers too have been advised to play loud music.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The DM said a seven-member team from the Centre is touring Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to deal with the locusts. </p>
<p class="title">Fire brigade vehicles loaded with insecticide were on standby in this district on Wednesday after an alert that a swarm of locusts could cross over from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to Kamal Katiyar, deputy director in UP’s Agriculture Department, a swarm spread over a square kilometre, has been spotted in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It could enter the adjacent Jhansi district through Moth or Samthar, he said. The current wind direction increases the chances of this happening.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Swarms of locusts entered Rajasthan from Pakistan last month and then spread to other western states. Several districts in Rajasthan were affected and recently a swarm was spotted in a residential area in Jaipur.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A swarm had earlier attacked some parts of Jhansi district ion May 22 and 24 but an already alert administration, with the help of local people, eliminated over a half of it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As part of preparations for another wave, two fire brigade vehicles with insecticide have been deployed in all four tehsils of the UP district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In addition, six more vehicles are ready at the district headquarter, Katiyar said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ten municipal employees with two insecticide spraying machines have been posted in every block, Katiyar said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He said the movement of locusts will depend on the wind direction.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Going by the present direction, the locusts could enter Jhansi district from Moth and Samthar and then move towards Jalaun and Hamirpur districts in Bundelkhand region.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Locusts don’t target animals or humans but can devastate crop fields.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On Tuesday, the district administration had asked people to alert it they spot a swarm.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This is an emergency, and we need to remain vigilant. This swarm has come travelling through Iran, Pakistan, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,” Jhansi DM Andra Vamsi had said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The DM said the administration had arranged sound systems to deter locusts. Farmers too have been advised to play loud music.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The DM said a seven-member team from the Centre is touring Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to deal with the locusts. </p>