Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Sunday said that the locust swarms had flown to a dozen districts in tiny groups, and they could not pose big risks reports Laxman Kafle The Rising Nepal.

The ministry said that the locusts which landed in Bara, Parsa, Rupandehi, Sarlahi and Sindhuli on Saturday reached Kavrepalanchowk, Ramechhap, Chitwan, Kapilvastu, Makwanpur and other districts by further dividing into smaller groups on Sunday writes daily.

“We are coordinating with the State and local governments to track the flight and direction of the locusts for their management and to reduce the losses they might cause,” said Dr. Hari Bahadur KC, spokesman at the ministry, at a press conference,

According to daily, Pesticide Management Centre Sahadev Prasad Humagain, however, said that there was still a chance for the larger group of locusts arriving in Nepal as a swarm of locusts was heading to New Delhi from Rajasthan in India.“We have to be in alert state for a few more days as the locust swarm may come to Nepal in tune with the wind moving northward,” he said.

“Based on the reports received from the local and state governments, the locusts which entered Nepal Saturday are only in small groups and they cannot cause huge losses to the agriculture sector. So, there is no need to worry now, but we need to stay alert,” said Dr. KC, spokesman at the ministry, at a press conference today.

KC said that the ministry officials were closely coordinating with the officials of Indian and Pakistani governments, Food and Agriculture Organisation and experts for essential measures needed to minimize damages.

“All the government agencies are in an alert state for the proper management of locusts. We are coordinating with the National Disaster Management Authority under the Ministry of Home Affairs to mobilize it if a bigger group of locusts enters the country,” he said.