TODAY -
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 02 2009:
With an average food grain yield of 20 tins in each households, following mass destruction caused to the standing crops ready for harvesting by rodents, following bamboo flowering, the shadow of food scarcity hangs heavy over the heads of the people of Tamenglong district.
During a visit to the district recently, matter came to light that although it is the peak season for harvesting the crops grown on terrace cultivation in Tamei, Tamenglong, Nungba and Tousem sub-division, the rodent menace has destroyed the standing crops overnight.
Kaibipou Pamei of Dailong village, which is located along Tamenglong-Tamei Road, said that he had sown three tins of paddy seed this year, but the yield was just 20 tins.
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In previous years, out of three 3 tins of paddy seeds, the yield could be anywhere between 150 to 200 tins.
''I don't know how I am going to feed my family with these 2 tins of paddy'', Kaibipou said dejectedly.
According to information received from District Agriculture Office, Tamenglong, the annual food grain yield in the district may be reduced to 50 percent this year as a result of the destruction caused to the standing crops by the rodent population.
To combat the rodent menace, 80 kgs of pesticide had been distributed in Tousem from the side of the Agriculture Dept, the source said, adding that taking into account of the destruction caused to the crops by rodent, the Department has already taken up necessary measures to ensure the success of winter cropping.
At Keikao, a large number of villagers who came out on hearing about the visit of this reporter conveyed that they have also recorded poor crop yield this time that they are now living on porridge made from rice and bamboo shoots.
Sources from the district administration disclosed that over and above the drought relief fund of Rs 68 lakhs, the Government has sanctioned a sum of Rs 2.7 crores for providing agricultural inputs to the farmers who have been affected by rodent menace.
Meanwhile, an unofficial source said that after the impact of bamboo flowering from which the villagers are yet to come in term with, death of wild boars from unknown causes in the jungles of the district have been noticed by the villagers.
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