India, Jan. 22 -- Area measuring 370,000 hectares in Gujarat and Rajasthan affected

Swarms of locusts have invaded the border districts of Rajasthan and Gujarat this winter, in one of the most serious attacks by the insects since 1993.

Measures to control the pests had covered 370,000 hectares (ha) till January 12, 2020. The area covered in 1993 was 310,482 ha.

"It is more serious than 1993," Suwa Lal Jat, joint director at the agriculture department of Rajasthan, said. He is coordinating with the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS), that runs locust watch centres (LWCs) as well as with other state government departments.

The pest attacks have been especially hard on farmers of the 11 Rajasthan districts tha...