Health cards for tsunami affected lands in Andaman

Port Blair, Sep 26 (UNI) Scientists and senior officials of state Agriculture department are presently busy in collecting soil samples from different corners of tsunami hit Andaman islands to check the affect of soil salinity and issuance of soil health cards to farmers later.

A team from the department had visited some remote areas of the territory to collect soil samples with their mobile soil testing van, Department's Assistant Director G S Pande said.

The team had also prepared a report by collecting data and interacting with tsunami affected cultivators about their problems.

'' We also gave useful tips to farmers to counter soil salinity,'' Pande said.

The team had also consulted with village heads about preparation and distribution of the soil health card, which according to the officials is an important document for the farmers.

In the first phase, these cards would be distributed in South Andaman followed by Middle and North Andaman for which action plan has already been prepared, the Assistant Director said.

About 10, 610 hectares of land was lost to tsunami and a huge chunk was spoiled due to high salinity.

After tsunami catastrophe the Centre had approved a special package of Rs 2395 million to revive the agriculture sector which included repair and reconstruction of dykes, site clearance, scrapping of surface salt, application of organic matter and gypsum, rainwater harvesting through check dam, creation of water bodies, pump sets, cropping programme, creation of drains and farm equipments.

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