Locusts invade Penal again

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Battling with an infestation of locust since last week, residents of Seebalack Trace, Rochard Road are appealing to Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat for help. Forced to stay indoors with their windows and doors closed, the residents said the green insects are wiping out their crops and plants and are making their lives very uncomfortable.

Housewife Tara Laloo, 59, said the plague of locusts began invading their homes and gardens last Thursday.

But, when she sought help from the Ministry’s Penal Branch at Ramjattan Trace on Wednesday she was told that they were aware of the situation but they had no chemical to deal with the locusts. “Right now they on my wall on the porch. They eating out all the leaves, everything they eating even the Immortelle tree.” She said the locust are destroying people’s crops in their gardens. “We want the Ministry to come and spray. They coming in the house too. We cannot leave the doors or windows open.” Laloo said they had a similar problem last year and the ministry sprayed and it helped.

“But what we need is for the airplane to pass and spray the area. That will work better.” Elderly resident Leelawatee Moonesar said she is at her wits’ end. “We see a lot of this locust around the hues feeding out on the saim plant, the lemon, the pommecythere, the pigeon peas, the zaboca leaves, everything we have around the house. Everything is gone, all the flowers plant.” With no response from the ministry, Moonesar said they have been spraying malathion from a spraycan around the house and on the plants. “It help a little. We see some dying every day. We keep sweeping up.” Moonesar, however, said they need urgent help. “We need for him (minister) to come to look at it if he can or send someone to help us to see what is going on because it is really frustrating. Since last year this is affecting us bad, bad bad.”

Councillor Kheymwetti Chulan said she was not aware of the situation but she promised to contact the residents and the ministry.