1.41 lakh families affected by Mautam famine

Aizawl, Feb 15(UNI) As many as 1,41,825 families in rural Mizoram have been more or less affected by the Mautam (bamboo flowering) famine, official sources said here today.

As many as 1,30,621 families had lost their annual crops -- rice, sesame, chillies, turmeric and ginger worth Rs 41138.57 lakh to rodents proliferated as a result of the periodic gregarious bamboo flowering last year, disaster management&rehabilitation secretary K Riachho said.

He added another 10,763 families lost their perennial crops such as sugar cane, oil palm and citrus fruits to the rodent menace, whose monetary value is Rs 22372.24 lakh.

In sericulture sector, 441 families lost their crops worth 130.54 lakhs in terms of rupees, he said.

The Mizoram famine emergency committee meeting today approved the detailed report of the effects of Mautam in the entire state submitted by the concerned DCs and forwarded the same for submission to the central government.

The emergency committee vice-chairman and disaster and supplies minister K Sangthuama stressed an urgent need to submit detailed accounts of disasters to the Centre.

He expressed the hope that the central relief fund will cushion the impact of the Mautam famine to a great extent, if not fully.

Food secretary TBC Rozara admitted that the NREGS has come as great help to relieve the famine-stricken rural folks.

UNI ZS KK MSJ GC2004