Study Bamboo flowering: Meghalaya

Shillong, Nov 7: Union Minister in-charge Tribal Affairs P R Kyndiah said here today that he would approach the Centre to send a team of experts to Meghalaya.

As per the reports of Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills District Deputy Commissioner K L Tariang, ''Rodents population has increased damaging crops in ceratin areas of the district. Phodjalei and Mawiet were the first villages which reported massive damage of crops by rats. However, he could not ascertain the quantum of damage.'' Mr Kyndiah told sources here, ''I will take up the matter with the Centre. The consequences of bamboo flowering would be serious if not taken precautionary measures. I do not want to see Meghalaya facing famine like in Mizoram.'' The district authorities had directed the District Forest Officers to conduct a detailed study and an awareness campaign has been launched in the affected areas to contain the rodents.

Recently, the Union Environment and Forests Ministry has released the first installment of Rs 17.82 crore to the NE states to deal with gregarious flowering of Muli bamboo.

Earlier, the Centre had sanctioned Rs 366 crore special action plan for the affected states. Of the amount released, Mizoram would get Rs 23 crore as it has the largest area under bamboo cover, followed by Tripura with Rs 21 crore. Asom would receive Rs 13 crore, Manipur, Rs 9.9 crore, Nagaland Rs 8 crore, Meghalaya Rs 6.8 crore and Arunachal Pradesh Rs 1.5 crore, official sources said.

UNI