Imphal, October 16 2017: Following media reports on the acute rodent menace in Tengnoupal district (formerly Chandel district) in Manipur, officials from the Agriculture Depart-ment have rushed to the affected areas and carried out a thorough survey work along with the Village Level Extension Workers/Field Assistants (VLEW/FA) and villagers on October 14.Y Kunjo Singh, EO of Tengnoupal Block (Agriculture Department), led a five-member team including two villagers from the affected areas.
The affected villages are Leibi, Kampang Khunou, Kampang Khullen, Lang-hongching, Khudengthabi in Moreh block.
Villages such as Laipham and Chelep in Tengnoupal block are also badly affected by the rodent menace .
Keishang Khuidong Maring, VLEW Tengnoupal Block (Agriculture department) and L Moba Maring, VLEW Machi Block (Agriculture department), one Lr Meran from Leibi village and K Prakash from Lang-khongching village assisted the EO of Tengnoupal Block (Agriculture Department) in the survey work .
Lr Meran informed Newmai News Network today that the team had conducted a field survey as directed by the higher authority on October 14.It is expected that the State Government may initiate some measures based on the report of the survey conducted by the team .
According Lr Meran, the villagers will not be able to have good harvests this year because of the rodent attack on standing crops .
Rodent menace has become a big issue in Tengnoupal district, as the creatures attack standing crops and granaries, according to villagers from the district .
A few days ago, Leibi village chairman, Th Angkha informed NNN that “uncontrollable rodents have destroyed paddy and maize” in the district.
According to Th Angkha, bamboo flowering could have been the reason for the rodent menace.
It is believed that rats feed on bamboo seeds and reproduce at high rate to increase their population .
According to Th Angkha, the villages affected by rodent menace are Leibi, Kampang Khunou, Kampang Khullen, Langkhongching, Khudengthabi in Moreh block and other villages such Laipham, Chelep in Tengnoupal block.
About 115 households with 700 people live in Leibi village .
Most of the families are cultivators and depend of the agricultural products, Angkha said.
The food grain yield will be very low as the standing crops have been destroyed by the rats.
Source: The Sangai Express
