Mautam rats start menacing in rural Mizoram

Aizawl, Aug 9(UNI): Rat menace in agricultural fields in rural Mizoram returned following bamboo flowering, as reports reaching here said.

The state agriculture officials indicated the Mautam (bamboo flowering) resulted rat menace in a number of places, mostly in paddy fields.

" The army of rodents would go for any other crops found in the jhums when the paddies are not mature enough for consumptions," sources in the agriculture department said today.

A recent survey on paddy fields by some experts found that the rats ate up whatever they could find in the fields including crops like cucumber, water-melon and maize.

The experts and the farmers feared that the rats would target rice plantations once they ripe, say from next month.

"The bamboo flowering, locally referred to as Mautam occurs every 50 years. The consequences are extra-ordinary multiplication of rats after feeding on the bamboo flowers and then attack crops".

The farmers were told to take precautionary measures against the loss of crops and kill the rodent. They also asked the farmers to take adequate measure while rodentcide.

As per information available, rats menaces were more at Buarpui and Bunghmun villages in Lunglei district, Dulte and Puilo villages under Champhai district and some areas under Tuivawl river banks and some parts of Lunglei and Mamit districts.

UNI