Agri officials rush to rodent hit Tengnoupal

A team of Agriculture department assisted by villagers inspecting areas affected by rodents in Tengnoupal district of Manipur on Saturday, October 14.
  Newmai News Network Imphal | October 16   Following media reports on the acute rodent menace in Tengnoupal district, formerly in Chandel, officials from the Agriculture department of Manipur rushed to the affected areas and carried out a thorough survey work along with the Village Level Extension Workers/Field Assistant (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, Langkhongching, 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 and L Moba Maring, VLEW Machi, and Lr. Meran from Leibi village and K Prakash from Langkhongching village assisted the EO of Tengnoupal Block in the survey work.   Meran informed the 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.   The villagers will not be able to have good harvests this year because of the rodent attack on standing crops, Meran maintained.   Rodent menace has become a big issue in the district as the creatures attack standing crops and granaries, according to villagers from the district.   Few days ago, Leibi village chairman, Th Angkha had informed NNN that “uncontrollable rodents destroyed paddy and maize” in the district.   Bamboo flowering could have been the reasons for the rodent menace, he said.   It is believed that rats feed on bamboo seeds and reproduce at high rate to increasing their population.   According to chairman, 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 settled 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.