As the rodent problem aggravate in Peren district, Minister for Agriculture, Dr Chumben Murry, who inspected some of the Jhum fields damaged by rodents at Old Jalukie on Friday, declared the rodent menace as natural calamity while terming the amount of destruction as ‘colossal’.
“We are fighting war against rodent. The damage is colossal”, said the Minister, who later addressed the officials of various departments at the Peren DPDB meeting.
He said that his department has failed to tackle the problem in time due to “financial constraint”, but assured to step up all possible measures, both in prevention and aid to the affected farmers.
He said agri department has launched anti-rodent campaign through various means and also disclosed that the department has distributed 3000 Kgs of pesticide as preventive measures. However, since the chemical will have health hazard on the users, the minister appealed to the Medical department to carry out health awareness campaign in the area where pesticide has been distributed to farmers.
Minister also asked the Agri department officials to carry out a comparative research with other state like Mizoram where there is severe rodent problem so as to effectively combat the menace.
Minister for Planning and Coordination, TR Zeliang, accompanied by Agri Minister who latter chaired the DPDB meeting at Peren Town Hall urged upon the department officials to bring out a concrete policy to combat the rodent menace.
“We are defeated this time”, Minister said ruefully, adding that Bamboo flowering and its adverse effects is predictable, but the government and the people has failed to take preventive measures before hand this time and added “Bamboo flowering is predictable.
In future we have to be careful and take immediate preventive measures’.
He disclosed that the Planning dept. has approved for sanctioned of Rs 50 lakhs for immediate use in the fight against the rodent problem.
Rodent problem dominated Peren DPDB meeting.
According to the Agriculture Officer the number of villages affected has come up to 82, number of farmers affected 5,199, area of fields 3,037 hectares and the monetary worth of damage has touched Rs 4,09,19,960.
Reports submitted by the SDAOs of three circle-Jalukie, Tening and Athibung revealed that under Jalukie circle about 33 villages, 764 farmers, 801 ha has been affected and the monetary worth of Rs 1,28,12,800 has been damaged, under Athibung circle about 24 villages, 1287 farmers, 1323 ha area with monetary of Rs 1,74,00,160, while under Tening, the number of villages affected is 25, number of farmers-3148, area of fields affected-913 ha and monetary worth of Rs 4,09,07,000 has been damaged.
Measures so far adopted:
1. 14 times training given to 48 affected villagers
2. 10,000 rodent traps distributed to farmers
3. 3,000 Kg rodenticide distributed
4. 10,000 MT of potatoes seeds for alternate cropping distributed
5. State government approved Rs 50 Lakhs to combat the manace
6. Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency to help convert flowered Bamboo to Charcoal by using Chinese and local methods
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