Centre okays Rs 3.67 cr to combat Mautam

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Aizawl, Aug 27 (UNI) The Centre has approved Rs 3.67 crore to combat Mautam (bamboo flowering) in Mizoram.

''The approval followed a proposal, submitted by the Inter-ministerial Central team, which visited Mizoram recently, Mizoram Chief Secretary Haukhum Hauzel said today.

Mr Hauzel also said the Centre has approved Rs 3.67 crore to compensate for crops lost to rodent attacks, adding that it has also sanctioned Rs 44 lakh for four of the eight districts of Mizoram, which have not been covered under the National Rural Employment Generation Programme.

The Centre has also allowed 970 metric tonnes of rice for the four districts under 'special component', he added.

Moreover, Hauzel said, the Centre approved Rs 8.82 crore as gratuitous relief against to crops, damaged by rodents and pests brought about by Mautam, adding that funds would be distributed to the farmers through district level disaster management committees and Deputy Commissioners.

Haukhum emphasised the need to promote cash crops as alternative to rice to lessen the impact of the cyclic bamboo flowering.

He urged, red oil palm, jathropha, passion fruits and other cash crops, introduced by Horticulture and Agriculture, be cultivated in larger scale, which would also expand the green cover.

Mautam is a cyclic bamboo flowering, which occurs every 48-50 years in Mizoram. It results in extraordinary multiplication of rats, which feed on the bamboo flowers, and later attack rice cultivations.

The Inter-ministerial Central team, which conducted on-the-spot study on the consequences of Mautam under Champhai and Serchhip districts during June 6-9 last, submitted proposal to the Centre with emphasis on judicious use of the Bamboo Flowering and Famine Combat Scheme (Baffacos), promotion of bamboo industries and large scale cultivation of cash crops to combat Mautam.

Even though it is not fully satisfactory, the proposal of the Inter-ministerial Central team is highly appreciable, Hauzel said, while urging the department officials to make concerted efforts to implement the proposals.

Meanwhile, reports of rodent menace have kept on pouring in from different parts of Mizoram with latest being from Sairang.

Sources said two jhum plantations near Sairang piggery farm were attacked by rodents completely damaging rice on Thursday night.

This Mautam is likely to see more frequent rodent attacks as compared to the last Mautam in 1957-60, according to Mautam researcher C Rokhuma, because bamboo forest has considerably declined.

In the last Mautam, there was abundant bamboos to retain rats from going for rice.

According to Agriculture records, rodents and pests have damaged over 51,209 metric tonnes of rice during last year.

UNI

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