HYDERABAD: Eight districts of Telangana have been put on high alert considering that the desert locust swarms may reach the state between June 20 and July 5 from Maharashtra or Chhattisgarh. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held a review meeting with the officials after obtaining the latest information on the location and the movement of the locusts.

The damage would be high if locusts attack the fields and now the locusts are at Azmi village near Ramtek in Maharashtra state, about 200 kms away from Telangana border. A team headed by chief secretary Somesh Kumar will visit Adilabad and monitor the movement of locusts.

During a review meeting with officials, the Chief Minister instructed the officials to take necessary steps to tackle the situation. Chances are high that locusts would enter the state from Bhadrachalam, Charla, Venkatapuram, Vajedu, Peruru, Mangampet, Eturunagaram, Chennuru, Vemanapalli, Koutala, Dharmabad, Bodhan, Jukkal, Banswada, Narayankhed and Zaheerabad areas.

Last month the swarm of locusts entered the country in three phases in the worst invasion in years came up to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Last month when the possibility of locust attack was high in the state, a five-member committee of officials monitored the situation. There was no real threat to the crops at that but now the damage would be high as crop sowing season in progress.

According to the experts, if locusts travel towards the South, they may reach Telangana within very little time and there is a possibility of locusts hitting Telangana anytime between June 20 and July 5 during which time monsoon crop season would begin in Telangana.