-The Tribune Miscreants spread rumours on social media that it will hit Punjab too Jalandhar: As swarms of locusts have descended in Rajasthan and attacked crops, farmers in Punjab are tensed that their crops would also be damaged if they reach the state. Agriculture Department officials said today that the situation in that state was leading to rumours in Punjab, which were being spread through social media. Hence, the department had appealed to...

-The Hindu Border districts most affected; authorities caught napping despite FAO warning. Ahmedabad: Sharing borders with neighbouring Pakistan, Gujarat is under attack from hoppers — new-born locusts — that have flown in across the international border. As the swarms mature, they have ravaged farms in North Gujarat, devastating farmers in the three border districts Banaskantha, Patan and Kutch. The locusts, known as tiddis locally, have wreaked havoc on standing crops of castor, cumin,...

Today, the Supreme Court of India will hear arguments in what is emerging as a national disgrace: One of the world’s largest stockpiles of foodgrain going to rot and rodent because the government lacks the vision, ability and commitment to either store it properly or distribute it to the poor. Let me recap what I reported on the front-page of this paper last month: About a third of India’s grain reserves,...