Meghalaya urges scientists to solve land degradation

Shillong, May 22 (UNI) Meghalaya Agriculture Minister ECB Bamon today urged planners and scientists to sort out land degradation problems to ensure higher yield for farmers.

Inaugurating the review meeting on rural development of the North Eastern states, Mr Bamon said the state was facing land degradation problems due to steep slopes, faulty cultivation, deforestation and high intensity rainfall, while 15 per cent of the total area of the state has been identified as wastelands.

Another hindrance is that 15 per cent of the total cultivable area and majority of the cultivable area was under rain-fed condition, he said.

Mr Bamon said the government also took advantage of the existing Integrated Wastelands Development Programme under the Hariyali guidelines, which have proven useful for empowering the farmers.

State Chief Secretary Ranjan Chatterjee said the ecological system of the region had already rendered fragile and precariously balanced because of unsustainable agricultural practices, faulty land use, promiscuous extraction of underground depositories.

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