Pesticides are being used to control the locust population. Experts have mentioned that the lethal pesticides used to counter locust swarms invading the Indian side of the Thar desert will irrevocably harm the fragile desert ecology.
Organophosphates are a group of chemicals that were initially developed as human nerve agents during the 1930s and 1940s to be used by Nazi Germany during World War II and were then later used as insecticides. OPs are known to leech into water bodies close to agricultural fields. This can spell disaster for humans, plants, and animals. They leach into the soil and neighbouring water bodies
Ten types of chemicals divided into three categories are recommended to be used for controlling locusts by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The first category is mycoinsecticide (for instance, Metarhizium acridum). This is of low risk to non-target organisms including birds and reptiles which ingest the treated locusts.
The second category is insect growth regulators (like diflubenzuron, teflubenzuron, and triflumuron), which have low human toxicity and is less hazardous in comparison to neurotoxic insecticides. These however still have some adverse effects on certain non-target organisms, especially aquatic arthropods.
The OPs should be the last resort, according to the FAO.
Effects on the Thar
The Thar desert is a rich ecosystem itself, having a number of salt lakes like Tal Chhapar, Lunkaransar, Gajner Jheel, Kheichan, and Bap Thana and the ponds of Jaisalmer.
These are annually visited by migratory birds of many species. Indigenous birds also depend on them. It is inevitable that birds will die in the next migratory season as these OPs must have leeched into the water bodies. These birds also feed on these locusts and help control their population. This frequent use of Ops in various places has led to the decreased population of these birds. In addition to that, an increase in urbanization and industrialization has also proven to decrease the bird population. This continuous loop has led to an ecosystem imbalance, leading to an increase in the locust population and a decrease in the bird population having to be one of the many effects caused by climate change and increased human civilization.
Author: Srikar Kandikonda
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