New Delhi: The deadly attack of the locust swarm has taken India with a storm with several states including Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and others being put on to high alert to save the crop devastation. Locus swarms are tiny insects with have great potential to cause heavy damage to the agriculture sector as they feed on nearly all green plantations such as vegetables, fruits, leaves, stems and even seeds. Crops that they feed include millet, rice, maize, sorghum, sugarcane, barley, cotton, fruit trees, date palm, vegetables, rangeland grasses, acacia, pines and banana.

The desert locust is one of about a dozen species of short-horned grasshoppers. The news of thousands of hectors of cropped agricultural lands being destroyed in various states of the country have been doing rounds lately. But, is there a Pakistan connection to the ongoing locust attacks in India? Let's find out!

Earlier this months, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated that locust swarms from Pakistan entered several Indian states including Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh threatening major damage to cotton crops and vegetables. So far, Rajasthan has turned out to be the worst effected state that suffered massive destruction of crops by locust swarms.

 Swarms of locusts are seen atop a residential building in Jaipur. (Image: AFP)

A new statement by Agriculture department suggests that Pakistan has become a new breeding ground of locusts entering Rajasthan from adjoining areas of the neighbouring country.

"Swarms of locusts are entering Rajasthan from adjoining areas in Pak every 2-3 days since a month. Pakistan has become the new breeding ground of the locusts and hence we are seeing the repeated attacks of locusts in the state. Four swarms have entered Jaipur recently," Deputy director of Agriculture department told news agency ANI.

"Yesterday night, we have destroyed a swarm of about 6 KM in length and 1 KM in breadth. Locusts have changed their nature and they are flying on heights more than they used to fly. It is becoming difficult for us to control. Still, we are doing our best to control the situation," he said.

 Farmer holds locusts in Pipli Pahar village in Pakistan. (Image AFP)

Kadwa further added that fortunately Rabi crop has been harvested and Kharif sowing season is yet to arrive.

Reports suggest that Pakistan itself is going through third unprecedented wave of locust attacks. A report published in the Dawn claimed that Pakistan Army dedicated 5,000 personnel in the anti-locust operation and 1,500 of them had been deployed in different provinces.

The report also stated that Pakistan was facing locust attack after around 29 years, adding that almost all the plant protection departments were devoid of entomologists.

 Officials spray pesticides to kill locusts in a field in Pakistan. (Image: AFP)

Meanwhile, India has proposed a coordinated response to deal with the common enemy along the border to Pakistan and also offered to facilitate the supply of insecticide Malathion to Islamabad for the same. India has also suggested Pakistan that both countries should coordinate locust control operation along the border.

The desert locust is a species of locust, a swarming short-horned grasshopper. The tiny insect is know to devour everything that comes in its path, posing an unprecedented threat to the food supply and livelihoods of millions of people.