North Bengal drought worries CM

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Aug. 9: Chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, has expressed his concern over the prevailing drought-like situation in the four districts of north Bengal — North Dianjpur, South Dinajpur, Malda and Cooch Behar — as it has adversely affected the transplantation of aman crops, agriculture officials said today.The minister for agriculture convened a two-day meeting on 7 August and 8 August with senior officials at the Writers’ Building in Kolkata to discuss all possible measures that can be applied to tackle the drought-like situation in the four districts. Agriculture officials have been instructed to tell farmers to increase the density of aman paddy while sowing, in case of rainfall in coming three-four days. The agricultural officials have also been asked to instruct farmers to complete transplantation of aman crops by 15 August, as there will not be any scope to cultivate them later.It may be recalled that farmers were unable to transplant aman crops owing to insufficient rainfall in the four districts. “Malda farmers were unable to transplant aman in a major portion of the1.40 lakh hectare presently under aman cultivation owing to scarcity of rain”, said Mr G Ahmed, the Malda principal agriculture officer.The Malda PAO said that there was a shortfall of 200 mm of rainfall recorded till 31 July. A reliable source informed that the district agriculture chalked out a contingent plan to compensate the farmers for crops because of the ongoing drought-like situation here. The plan has been submitted before the DM, who has already gone thorough the proposal and forwarded it to the concerned department. The Malda agriculture department has demanded 50,000 pieces of mini jute bags for Kalai pulse, 10,000 mini jute bags for maize and 25,000 mini jute bags for early muster seeds for their distribution among farmers, who could not transplant the aman this season. Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur officials too have put forward the same demand before the administration. “The top agriculture officials are planning to make up the losses of farmers in Rabi crop seasons”, said Mr Ahmed.