Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 21 2009:
The Central Government team, comprising of officials from the Planning Commission of India and Union Ministry of Agriculture, today fanned out to different districts of the State to conduct spot assessment of the drought situation.
Members of the Central Government team, who arrived here yesterday and include the Deputy Advisor of the Planning Commission as well as top officials of Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation, were clustered into two groups.
Accompanied by officials of the State's Agriculture Department, the Central Government-deputed team inspected agricultural sites, particularly paddy fields of Imphal West, Tamenglong, Imphal East, Ukhrul and Senapati districts.
During the day-long inspection, a team covered the paddy fields of Malom Bamdiar, Ngakrakpam and cultivation areas on either side of the Imphal-Tulihal Airport road in Imphal West district to assess severity of damage caused to the plantation owing to shortage of rainfall this season.
Similar inspections were also carried out at New Keithelmanbi, Tanphou, Keithelmanbi of Senapati district while in Tamenglong district Haolangjang and Makompangjan sites were covered.
In Imphal East district, the team assessed paddy fields in Chingarel, Nongada and Thamnapokpi areas.
According to officials of the Agriculture Department, many farmers of the State had to delay plantation activities as sowing of seeds traditionally, done in the months of June/July, were hampered due to acute rain shortage.
Inspite of most of the fields, which the team covered, today were found green and lush, the yield would be deficient as farmers gambled on re-plantation method only after August 15, explained the officials to mediapersons who were part of the inspection tours.
The visiting Central team members also interacted with farmers found working at their fields to get feedback for compilation of report, informed to be main purpose of the inspection initiative carried out on recommendation of the Central government.
Even though paddy stems sighted to have grown upto proportional height, the farmers expressed apprehension the yield would be far from satisfactory as they were convinced that delay in the plantation works compared to traditional practices is certain to reduce the actual yield.
Even though the inspection team covered many paddy-fields spread in these districts there was apparent lack of intense study on their part as information collection was done through comments of the farmers.
For instance there was no physical assessment on health of the paddy-stems that could have cleared doubts of the farmers on whether or not their hard toil will bear fruits.
significantly there was no subject expert (scientist) accompanying the team thereby reducing the day-long programme to an academic exercise thereby compelling the farmers to nurture their plantations with high expectations.
While spot visits were made at actual plantation sites, there was no such exercise regarding Ukhrul district with the team directly heading to the office of the Deputy Commissioner before heading back to the State capital.
As reporters were made to wait outside the DC's office room it could not be speculated what discussions, if any, were held inside.
However, some locals with gift-like parcels were seen heading into the DC's office when the visiting team was inside.