Farmers Turn DJs, Blast Loud Music As Desi Jugaad To Ward Off Locusts From Fields

While the world was fighting an invisible enemy (Covid-19), another one recently swarmed into India. Large swarms of desert locusts have taken over a majority of farms and are destroying crops across states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

This is not the scene of any Movie. #LocustsAttack in India 😞😣 pic.twitter.com/jPeBCqDmR6

— ♡🌸 (@Miss_huma_) May 27, 2020

According to News18, these short-horned grasshoppers have already destroyed nearly 50,000 hectares (125,000 acres) of cropland. The locust attack, this year, is the worst in 26 years. And the visuals from the attack in India will send chills down your spine.

Although, the government has reportedly stepped in to provide relief from the ‘Tiddi Dal’, farmers have been coming up with desi jugaad to control the menace. A video shared online by a senior inspector from Uttar Pradesh shows a DJ booth, set-up in the middle of the fields, blasting music to ward off the locusts.

डीजे सिर्फ़ नाच गाने के लिये ही नहीं बल्कि टिड्डी दल भगाने में भी कारगर होता है ।

दिन सबके बदलते हैं !

आप मुँह से आवाज़ निकाल सकते हैं या थाली भी पीट सकते हैं ।#DiscJockey #Locustswarm #locustswarms #Locusts #Locustsattack #LocustInvasion #LocustSwarmsAttack pic.twitter.com/zUcpYiJTGb

— RAHUL SRIVASTAV (@upcoprahul) May 27, 2020

Here’s how people reacted to this unique method to keep the locusts away from the farms:

So apparently Locust can be driven away by loud noise and cacophony. These warriors need to step up. pic.twitter.com/X69RWTW9Cu

— Abijit Ganguly (@AbijitG) May 28, 2020

Tiddis be like Abhi toh party shuru huyi hai!!!! #Locustsattack #Locustswarm #LocustInvasion #discjockey #locusts

— Feline Fundas (@DrVerti) May 27, 2020

Maybe they are dancing to the music 😂

— Dipz🌻 (@deepa98thakur) May 27, 2020

https://twitter.com/Bharti56622976/status/1265516452884484097

Ingenious idea👏👏👌

— Payal Singh (@Paayalsinngh) May 27, 2020

Great idea Sir 😂😂👍🏻

— Anshi Verma (@anshu_v20) May 27, 2020

People have also been making loud noises by banging utensils and bursting crackers to drive the locust swarm away, reported News18. Apart from that drones, tractors and other vehicles have been sent out to spray the insects with pesticides, reported Hindustan Times.

Be it with the help of these out-of-the-box ideas or through a strategically planned damage control method, we just hope our farms get rid of these crop hungry insects ASAP.