Mizoram to renew 'rats' tails-for-money' campaign

Aizawl, Oct 6 (UNI) The Mizoram government has decided to renew the 'rats' tail-for-money', to combat multiplication of rats due to gregarious bamboo flowering or Mautam.

Agriculture Minister H Rammawi today announced that the government would offer the farmers Rs two for each rat's tail they collect to encourage killing of rats. A rodent control committee would be set up in all the districts.

"If we are taking concerted efforts now, we will no more face this kind of troubles in the next Mautam," he said at a Mizoram Agriculture Graduate Service Association's general conference-cum-trainers' training at Chaltlang here.

The state had been facing a very tough time from this year, and "we are combating the devastating Mautam. You have to fight tooth and nails to win this battle," the minister urged the agriculture officers.

Since last year, the state had lost a total of 7,603 hectares of cultivation to rodents attack. The climax of bamboo flowering which results proliferation of rodents was expected by the next one or two year.

UNI