Aizawl, December 03: The appearance of rodents at several paddy fields around Khawzawl town in Mizoram has brought nothing to the farmers but a revival of the fifty years old memory of Mizoram's most tragic famine 'Mautam Tam' which ravaged the hilly State from 1959.The gregarious bamboo flowering of the late 1950s, which occurred in the State, has several hangovers.

First, it was the massive rodent population boom which ravaged the paddy cultivation across the state that eventually led to the worst ever famine in the history of Mizoram.

Then came the Mizo National Famine Front which further aggravated the situation by leading the State into an 20 year long era of disastrous confrontation with the Govt of India thereby turning the erstwhile Lushai Hills into one of the most troubled areas in India.

The fear of rodent multiplication has begun after farmers around Khawzawl town on the northeastern part of the state reported sightings of massive rodent concentrations in the area.

"Every year a part of our harvests are consumed by these rats, but it was not much.

This year we have witnessed a numerical increase in the population of rodents, several paddy fields have been devoured by these rats," Lalbiakmawia, a farmer from Chawngtlai village, three kilometres from Khawzawl town.

"Yes, of course bamboo has started flowering and these rodents are feeding on it, the reproduction of rodents will increase with the rich nutrients composition of the bamboo seeds.

With this cycle of reproduction we are sure to be doomed," Lalchhawnkima, another farmer from Chawngtlai village lamented.

"It is true, there is an alarming increase in the population of rats.

These rats have devoured not only paddy but also maize and other crops in the region," said James Lalsiamliana, Assistant Plant Protection Officer of the State's Agriculture department.

However the agriculturist said that the increase in rodent population witnessed by farmers in the area was not very alarming.

"The paddy cultivation this year were not healthy.

Before the rats, the late arrival of the monsoon rains had already ravaged the paddy cultivation in the area.

Even if the rodent threat was not there, the untimely monsoon was enough to do the damages," he said.

Farmers across the State have already reported swarming of locusts, 'thangnang' (a bug believed to be harbinger of Mautam Famine), and other insects which elders in the state interpreted as a bad omen, harbinger of a devastating famine.

Farmers in several parts of the state are also in fear that rodent multiplication may occur before the State Govt could take precautionary measures.

"Bamboo flowering is one thing, the worst part is the rodent multiplication, it will hit the agriculture economy if the state is not well prepared to combat the menace, the rural economy will be the first to suffer," said Thanbika, president of Chawngtlai village council.

Mautam expert C Rokhuma has already warned the Zoramthanga Government that the coming rodent multiplication will have serious consequences owing to the government's faulty policy in combating it.

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