Pregnant elephant found dead in Lalgarh forest range

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

MIDNAPORE, 31 MAY: A pregnant elephant was found dead at Kadmasole under Bhaudi beat Lalgarh range in West Midnapore at around 6 am today and it is suspected that she suffered a heart attack during labour.

The carcass of the pachyderm was found by the villagers in the area this morning following which senior forest officials including Assistant Divisional Forest Officer (ADFO) rushed to the spot. A team of veterinary officials and doctors also reached there. They examined the body but no external or visible mark of injury was found.

Divisional Forest Officer of Midnapore, Sandip Kumar Barwal said, “As there was no external mark of injury, the reason of death can only be ascertained after the postmortem. A foetus was found inside the body and it was suspected that the mother elephant after having foods while going through a corn field towards Lalgarh from Bhaoudi inside the forest died”.

Barwal also said the dead elephant was a part of a small herd that was moving inside the forest for the last few days in the Lalgarh range.  

Ten more migrants test Covid + in Nadia, containment zones reach to 60

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 30 MAY: Yet another ten migrants, who returned their houses from Maharashtra and Kerala, tested positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of official cumulative cases in Nadia to 75 in the last 24 hours.

Apart from this figure supplied by the district health department, at least five positive cases from different areas across the district have been reported before this correspondent by the concerned local people. Even, a person from Chapra Bangaljhi quarantine center has been taken out this afternoon by the health authorities and it has been reported that he has been admitted to the Kalyani SNR Carnival Covid hospital.

As migrants returning home continued to test positive for the novel coronavirus, ten more containment zones have been created in Nadia with authorities sealing the areas today. The number of containment zones in Nadia, thereby, rose to 60.

According to the reports of the district health department, the areas which have been earmarked as containment zones are two under Chapra, three under Nabadwip, two under Kaliganj, two under Krishnaganj, seven under Tehatta-I, one under Tehatta-II, three under Karimpur, seven under Santipur, one under Krishnagar-I, one under Krishnagar-II, eight under Ranaghat-II, four under Hanshkhali, three under Ranaghat-I and seven under Chakdaha blocks.

In a nutshell, there are 12 containment zones under Krishnagar sub-division, 14 under Tehatta sub-division, 26 under Ranaghat sub-division and eight containment zones fall under Kalyani sub-division.

These areas have been sealed so that people living within containment zones are not allowed to move out and police have been deployed to check any violations. “No unauthorized persons should be allowed into the containment zones under any circumstances”, an order by the sub-divisional authority stated.

Courtesy: Image from Shutterstock 

Covid-19: Nadia district health dept cancels all voluntary blood donation camps from 31 May to 12 June 

BJP points fingers against Trinamul for stopping opposition from organising any blood donation camp in the district

The BJP workers said though the general demand of blood and blood products might have reduced, blood banks still have to cater to those critically ill, blood disorder patients, cancer patients needing platelet infusion, women needing blood transfusion following childbirth and trauma patients.

Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR, 30 MAY: At a time when blood banks across the state are facing acute shortages as blood donation has dried up during the ongoing lockdown, the Nadia district health department, today, has issued a notice cancelling all voluntary blood donation camps for the next 13 days.

“Due to Covid-19 situation all voluntary blood donation camps have been cancelled from 31 May to 12 June except Dr Norman Bethun Blood Doner’s Association for the interest of public services”, the notice signed by superintendent of district hospital, Nadia (Memo no-2860/(6) dated 30.05.2020, reads.

This notice has created a sharp discontentment among the BJP workers in Krishnagar, who were all set to conduct a blood donation camp at their party office tomorrow where the party leaders Mukul Roy and Jagannath Sarkar were to attend the programme.

“There is no need to cancel blood donation camps from tomorrow when all blood banks are suffering from acute blood shortages. As we, the opposition party in West Bengal, are all set to organize a blood donation camp tomorrow, the district administration has issued such notice to prevent us from doing any social activities. This move is completely based on political intention,” said Saikat Sarkar, a BJP leader in Krishnagar.

Sarkar also alleged, “We recently organized a sit-in demonstration programme in front of the Krishnagar municipality to protest against corruption against the ruling party’s former councilors who in collusion with the administrative officials distributed GR sleeps to the beneficiaries. During agitation, we followed physical distancing protocol, but the police registered cases against some of our party leaders”.
Asit Saha, BJP's district vice-president has reportedly sent a mail to IC, Kotwali urging him to treat the mail as a FIR against Trinamul Congress leaders -Rajib Banerjee, a state forest minister, Mohua Maitra, MP from Krishnagar and others who recently met the Amphan victims and party supporters thus violating physical distancing protocol.

The BJP workers said though the general demand of blood and blood products might have reduced, blood banks still have to cater to those critically ill, blood disorder patients, cancer patients needing platelet infusion, women needing blood transfusion following childbirth and trauma patients.

These apart there are several patients who require regular blood transfusion. Many patients are suffering from thalassemia and sickle cell disease. So, in this situation, the decision to cancel the blood donation camp is very much shocking, said a BJP leader. 

13 more containment zones come up as fresh cases of Covid-19 spike in Nadia

In a nutshell, there are nine containment zones under Krishnagar sub-division, 11 under Tehatta sub-division, 23 under Ranaghat sub-division and seven containment zones fall under Kalyani sub-division.

Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR, 29 MAY: As migrants returning home continued to test positive for the novel coronavirus, 13 more containment zones have been created in Nadia with authorities sealing the areas today. The number of containment zones in Nadia, thereby, rose to 50.

According to the reports of the district health department, the areas which have been earmarked as containment zones are two under Chapra, two under Nabadwip, one under Kaliganj, two under Krishnaganj, six under Tehatta-I, one under Tehatta-II, two under Karimpur, seven under Santipur, one under Krishnagar-I, one under Krishnagar-II, six under Ranaghat-II, three under Hanshkhali, three under Ranaghat-I and six under Chakdaha blocks.

In a nutshell, there are nine containment zones under Krishnagar sub-division, 11 under Tehatta sub-division, 23 under Ranaghat sub-division and seven containment zones fall under Kalyani sub-division.

These areas have been sealed so that people living within containment zones are not allowed to move out and police have been deployed to check any violations. “No unauthorized persons should be allowed into the containment zones under any circumstances”, an order by the sub-divisional authority stated.

Meanwhile Nadia recorded the highest number of Covid positive cases in the last three days. In three days, the district recorded 39 Covid-19 cases, as migrants returning home continued to test positive for the novel coronavirus. In the last 24 hours, the district recorded 13 Covid positive cases most of them the migrants came from Maharashtra. The Nadia district tally of positive cases now stands at 65, of which 55 are active cases while the rest have recovered.

The state has reported 344 fresh cases most of them are migrant workers from Maharashtra on Thursday. In the last two days, the total positive cases in the state rose to 527.

According to a district health official, most of the positive cases reported from migrants who have come from Maharashtra and they have reached their homes six to seven days ago. As they all stayed with their families after coming from Maharashtra, the district health department have sent around 195 persons who came in their contacts to either quarantine centers or home quarantine.

In the last few days, migrant workers from different states are continuing to return to their homes by various means and the numbers of positive cases have risen sharply in the district too.

As per reports available from the district health department, 28 new suspected cases have been reported today and 72 persons are admitted in the quarantine centers.

This apart, two Shramik Special Trains carrying migrants from different states have reached in Krishnagar today and a considerable number of migrants from hotspot areas of outside states have reached here. The district administration had vehicles for the migrants to send them in their native areas.

The first Shramik Special Train carrying around 1200 migrants from Kerala reached Krishnagar station in Nadia around 4.12 pm today. Among them, 120 migrants are residents of Nadia district while the rest are residents of different districts including Murshidabad and Malda, an administrative official said.

An elaborate arrangement was made by both the railways and the district administration for their safe passage. All the migrants were first taken to the truck terminal at Bahadurpur by buses where they had to undergo medical check ups. After completing all official formalities, the district administration sent them to their native areas by buses.
Another train reached Krishnagar station at around 12.10 am carrying migrants from different states especially Maharashtra and Kerala tonight.

IIT Kharagpur develops vehicle with mechanised broom to clean public places

“The system is highly flexible to suit Indian road conditions including those in semi-urban areas. Being an indigenously built technology we kept in mind the steep curves and undulations of Indian streets and made the brooms adjustable vertically and horizontally. Further we have added solar power charging in addition to the battery to keep the running cost low,” said Prof. Mihir Sarangi.

Biswabrata Goswami

MIDNAPORE, 29 MAY: A group of researchers at IIT Kharagpur has developed a vehicle with mechanized broom that runs on battery and solar power to clean roads and public places.

The vehicle, named Sammarjak MB 4.2, uses two mechanised brooms and has been successfully tested across the 2100 acre campus of the institute during the ongoing lockdown. It has the flexibility to move the dirt on roads in angular directions or in up and down direction to fit various road conditions

Prof. Virendra K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur, has planned to deploy the vehicle to be used on campus as the administration expects to face a shortage of sanitation staff even after lockdown opens.

Talking about the current labour situation on the campus, he said, “We had restricted entry of a significant section of the workforce to our campus since late March. Further we have reassigned some cleaning staff towards sanitizing the key areas in the campus which are frequented by the residents. But considering our campus size we needed a substantial number of sanitation workers and this gap is being filled by automatizing the brooming system across all the pathways.”

He congratulated Prof. Mihir Sarangi who led this frugal innovation to keep the campus clean during the lockdown period.

“The system is highly flexible to suit Indian road conditions including those in semi-urban areas. Being an indigenously built technology we kept in mind the steep curves and undulations of Indian streets and made the brooms adjustable vertically and horizontally. Further we have added solar power charging in addition to the battery to keep the running cost low,” said Prof. Sarangi. He is hoping this would enable organizations and public bodies, with budget constraints, to adopt the system.

Another key issue being addressed by this system is that of automation of public services. With the restrictions on movement of labourers and their uncertain health conditions, engagement of 30% workforce to maintain social distancing norms as recommended by the government, cleaning and sanitizing large areas are becoming a concern for various public bodies and organizations.

IIT Kharagpur envisions automation as the solution to address this challenge.

“To avoid any disruption or slowing down of productivity due to less labourers, it is crucial for our society to make a firm move towards automation, be it industries or the regular walk of life such as community maintenance mechanisms. This has been a reality in the developed nations and I do not see a reason why it cannot be ours,” remarked Director Tewari.

When asked whether such automation would reduce job opportunities, Director Tewari cited how the introduction of computers have revolutionized Indian job sector and the opportunities automation would create through new avenues and ancillary industries engaged in indigenous production.

Nadia sets up 13 more containment zones as Covid positive cases rise to 26 in two days

Total number of containment zones reach to 37

In a nutshell, there are seven containment zones under Krishnagar sub-division, 11 under Tehatta sub-division, 17 under Ranaghat sub-division and two containment zones fall under Kalyani sub-division.

Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR, 28 MAY: As migrants returning home continued to test positive for the novel coronavirus, 13 more containment zones have been created in Nadia with authorities sealing the areas today. The number of containment zones in Nadia, thereby, rose to 37.

According to the reports of the district health department, the areas which have been earmarked as containment zones are two under Chapra, two under Nabadwip, one under Kaliganj, two under Krishnaganj, six under Tehatta-I, one under Tehatta-II, two under Karimpur, four under Santipur, six under Ranaghat-II, three under Hanshkhali, three under Ranaghat-I and one under Chakdaha blocks.

In a nutshell, there are seven containment zones under Krishnagar sub-division, 11 under Tehatta sub-division, 17 under Ranaghat sub-division and two containment zones fall under Kalyani sub-division.

These areas have been sealed so that people living within containment zones are not allowed to move out and police have been deployed to check any violations. “No unauthorized persons should be allowed into the containment zones under any circumstances”, an order by the sub-divisional authority stated.

Meanwhile Nadia recorded the highest number of Covid positive cases in the last two days. In two days, the district recorded 26 Covid-19 cases, as migrants returning home continued to test positive for the novel coronavirus. The Nadia district tally of positive cases now stands at 52, of which 42 are active cases while the rest have recovered.

The state has reported 344 fresh cases most of them are migrant workers from Maharashtra on Thursday. In the last two days, the total positive cases in the state rose to 527.

According to a district health official, all the 26 migrants have come from Maharashtra and they have reached their homes five to six days ago. As they all stayed with their families after coming from Maharashtra, the district health department have sent around 130 persons who came in their contacts to either quarantine centers or home quarantine.

In the last few days, migrant workers from different states are continuing to return to their homes by various means and the numbers of positive cases have risen sharply in the district too.

Four days ago, six migrant workers who came from Maharashtra tested positive for Covid-19 and the district health department had to send 30 family members in quarantine. Two days before it, two migrants from Kerala had tested positive.  

Apprehending the situation, the Trinamul Congress MP, Mohua Maitra once again posted a video message addressing the people living in her territory urging them not to allow the migrants to stay in their houses first.

“The district administration has provided schools for the migrants. When any migrant will reach his village, he will have to stay in the school for 14 days meant for quarantine. If he shows nothing positive symptoms related with Covid-19, he will then go to his house and can stay with his family members. During the time of quarantine in the school, the family members can meet him from a distance by maintaining protocols”, Ms Maitra said in her message.

Earlier in a message, Ms Maitra had urged the people saying “The time has now come to be cautious about the spread of the virus because many migrant workers will come from other states in coming days. It was seen that the family members of the worker at Thanarpara had met neighbours and went to markets. If their test reports come negative, then there will be no problem. But, if the report comes positive, then we will have to send the persons who came in contact with them to the quarantine center to prevent any further spread of the disease in the community.”

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Nadia records 12 new Covid-19 cases in one day, total positive cases reach to 38

TMC MP Mohua Maitra urges migrants to go in quarantine centers first

Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR, 27 MAY: Nadia recorded 12 new Covid-19 cases, today, as migrants returning home continued to test positive for the novel coronavirus. The state reported 193 fresh cases most of them are migrant workers from Maharashtra.

The Nadia district tally of positive cases now stands at 38, of which 21 active cases while the rest have recovered.

According to a district health official, all the 12 migrants have come from Maharashtra and they have reached their homes five to six days ago. As they all stayed with their families after coming from Maharashtra, the district health department have sent around 60 persons who came in their contacts to either quarantine centers or home quarantine.

In the last few days, migrant workers from different states are continuing to return to their homes by various means and the numbers of positive cases have risen sharply in the district too.

Three days ago, six migrant workers who came from Maharashtra tested positive for Covid-19 and the district health department had to send 30 family members in quarantine. Two days before it, two migrants from Kerala had tested positive.  

According to the reports of the health department, two migrants of Dignagar under Krishnagar-II block, one migrant of Ghorapota in Debagram, three from Dhantala and Pira in Ranaghat-II, three from Kaya in Hanshkhali, one from Kasimpur in Chakdaha, one from Sadhubazar in Tehatta and one from Taraknagar in Krishnaganj have tested positive. They have been sent to the Kalyani SNR Carnival covid hospital.

Meanwhile, the health officials suspect that if the migrants from Maharashtra continue to return in the district, the positive cases will spike more and this will lead the district to go in vulnerable red zone status.

Apprehending the situation, the Trinamul Congress MP, Mohua Maitra once again posted a video message addressing the people living in her territory urging them not to allow the migrants to stay in their houses first. “The district administration has provided schools for the migrants. When any migrant will reach his village, he will have to stay in the school for 14 days meant for quarantine. If he shows nothing positive symptoms related with Covid-19, he will then go to his house and can stay with his family members. During the time of quarantine in the school, the family members can meet him from a distance by maintaining protocols”, Ms Maitra said in her message.

Earlier in a message, Ms Maitra had urged the people saying “The time has now come to be cautious about the spread of the virus because many migrant workers will come from other states in coming days. It was seen the family members of the worker at Thanarpara had met neighbours and went to markets. If their test reports come negative, then there will be no problem. But, if the report comes positive, then we will have to send the persons who came in contact with them in quarantine center to prevent any further spread of the disease in the community.”

Powerplay : BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar advised to stay in home quarantine

"So, it is a political effort to stop me from meeting people. Though, I have not received the letter from the official who came to my house at around 3 am today. If there is any need to put any person in quarantine, the Nabadwip municipality chairman Biman Krishna Saha will be the right one because he had visited the quarantine centers there," said Sarkar.

Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR, 26 MAY: Within hours after the state BJP president Dilip Ghosh and the party leader Sayantan Basu were stopped from visiting the cyclone-ravaged areas, another party MP from Ranaghat in Nadia, Jagannath Sarkar has faced ‘the ruling party’s wrath’, today.

Sarkar was not stopped by the police from visiting the cyclone-hit areas, but this time, the district health department has come forward and knocked on the door of his resident at around 3 am asking him to stay in home quarantine for the next 14 days as he visited a quarantine center.

In a letter (Memo no –CMOH/Nad/3332/171 dated 25.05.2020), the chief medical officer of health, Nadia said, “It has come to our knowledge that today i.e. on the 25 th May, 2020, in the afternoon, you have visited Quarantine Centers housed at Charbrahmanagar GSFP school, Bablaban GSFP school and Charmajdiya Govt Colony primary school in Nabadwip block where high risk asymptomatic persons returned from Maharashtra, Telengana and Andhrapradesh have been quarantined. It has also been learnt that you have interacted with some quarantined persons there, without taking required precautions and without maintaining prescribed social distancing norms……In this context of the above, you are hereby advised to be in strict Home quarantine for the next 14 days…”

When asked, Sarkar said, “I met the people who are staying in self quarantine under a makeshift camp at Swarupganj in Nabadwip. I heard their dismal condition while staying in self quarantine and I followed social distancing. So, it is a political effort to stop me from meeting people. Though, I have not received the letter from the official who came to my house at around 3 am today. If there is any need to put any person in quarantine, the Nabadwip municipality chairman Biman Krishna Saha will be the right one because he had visited the quarantine centers there”.

In West Bengal, BJP versus Mamata Banerjee politics has taken center stage since the beginning of the coronavirus fight. Several official letters were sent from each other’s end to justify who was wrong, but this one was the latest where a opposition party MP has been asked to stay in home quarantine, a political analyst in the district said.    

Amphan effect : Banana, Mango and flower grown on thousands of hectare destroyed in Bengal

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 26 MAY: Cyclone Amphan has dealt a crushing blow to Bengal’s fruit and flower cultivators especially mango, banana and flower growers, as they are confronted with huge losses from the widespread damage it caused to orchards and fruits ripe for its seasonal harvest.

The cyclone barreled through the coastal blocks in East Midnapore before hurtling towards Bangladesh, has wreaked havoc across the coastal districts and carved a trail of destruction as it moved inland at night generating severe strong winds and heavy rainfall.

The extremely severe cyclone has spelt a doom for banana growers in Nadia, Murshidabad Hooghly and North-24-Parganas, the four prime banana producing districts in the state. The growers had already suffered losses as they could not carry out maintenance of trees and fruits in the absence of labourers because of the ongoing lockdown.

According to reports from the Horticulture department, banana is the important cash crop in West Bengal. Around 70 % production comes from Nadia and the cyclone has ravaged banana orchards grown in 6.5 thousand hectare in Nadia only. Around 90 thousand families have been affected so far, said a district horticulture officer.

The horticulture officials said banana (Musa sp.) is the second most important fruit crop in India next to mango. Its year round availability, affordability, varietal range, taste, nutritive and medicinal value makes it the favourite fruit among all classes of people. It also has good export potential.

In West Bengal, tissue culture banana is being cultivated over an approximate area of 700 hectares in Murshidabad and Nadia districts as part of the new project since last year, but most orchards have been ruined due to the impact of the cyclone Amphan, an official said.

For mango growers in Nadia, Murshidabad and Malda districts of West Bengal are no different as the unfavourable climatic conditions coupled with lockdown had already led to severe losses, “The mango production sustained severe damage due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms during February-March, this year when the flowers were sprouting. As a result, 70 percent of the crop got destroyed. The cyclone has finished whatever little was left. The financial crisis would have a long-term impact as it might deter farmers from mango cultivation next year. We fear that around 38,000 tonnes of mangoes have been destroyed in the cyclone,” Basudev Biswas, a mango wholesaler at Majdiya.

In Nadia, mangoes are grown in around 10.5 thousand hectares while Malda produces around 500,000 tonnes of mangoes every year with around 4 lakh people dependent on the mango trade.

This apart, flower cultivation in the state has also been severely affected by the storm. In East Midnapore, flower beds in around 6.95 thousand hectare have been completely destroyed while in Nadia, flower cultivation on 3.75 thousand hectare has been grossly affected. In two districts, more than 1.5 lakh families have been affected, a horticulture officer said.

Courtesy: Images from iNET. 

Farmer electrocuted after coming in contact with a live sagging electric wire

Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR, 24 MAY: A 42-year-old farmer was electrocuted while working in his agricultural field at Bagdiya village near Dignagar under Kotwali police station limits today.

Police official said the deceased identified as Kazir Sheikh (42) had gone to his field this morning and was working when he accidentally came in contact with a live sagging electric wire.

He suffered an electric shock and died. Workers in nearby fields noticed and rushed to him, but he had died by then.

As soon as the news spread, locals rushed to the nearby electric supply office at Dignagar and ransacked the office badly to protest against the incident.

“The severe cyclone, Amphan has wreaked havoc on the area uprooting trees and electric poles. The area was plunged into darkness as power was cut off for the last three days. The power supply department was also carrying out restoration works and they without checking the lines switched on the line resulting to the death of the farmer”, the agitating people alleged.

They also demanded immediate compensation to the family members of the deceased as the incident occurred a day before the celebration of Eid.

Later, a large section of police from Kotwali reached the spot and retrieved the body from the field. The body was later sent to the Saktinagar district hospital for autopsy.

The police also intervened and brought the situation under control.

Dilip Ghosh stopped from visiting Amphan-hit areas

“Four days have passed since the cyclone wreaked havoc, but the state government has failed to reach out to the distressed. Now that we are trying to help those people, it would not let us. The TMC should stop indulging in petty politics in this hour of crisis,” Dilip Ghosh insisted.

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

MIDNAPORE, 24 MAY: West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh was stopped by the police for the second time in the two days from visiting the cyclone-ravaged areas in his constituency in West Midnapore today.

He was stopped at Srikrishnapur near Nandakumar in East Midnapore, triggering a war of words between the saffron party and the ruling Trinamul Congress workers.

As the tension reached high, Ghosh finally left in a huff.

Yesterday, Ghosh was stopped by the police from visiting the cyclone affected areas in South 24 Parganas.

Today, according to sources, Ghosh was travelling to reach his constituency - Midnapore to meet the people affected by the cyclone Amphan. But, his movement was first deviated from National highway to state highway by the police. Accordingly, he took the state highway and when he reached at Srikrishnapur near Nandakumar in East Midnapore, the police stopped him. A large section of police and RAF who were deployed there, argued that he would not be allowed to move further

because an agitation on demand of power was continuing.

On hearing the news, some BJP workers rushed to the site and started shouting slogans against police and the state government alleging that they were intentionally not allowing BJP state president to visit the cyclone ravaged areas in his territory.

Within minutes, Trinamul Congress workers reached there and raised slogans of various issues against the central government.

A minor scuffle broke out between the police personnel and BJP workers, following which Ghosh left in a huff. Police, on its part, said the saffron party leader did not have necessary permit to visit the cyclone-hit areas.“TMC leaders had been visiting the affected areas of East Midnapore. Police wouldn't stop them. The rule somehow changes for the BJP leaders,” Ghosh said.

The BJP MP also claimed that the state doesn’t want the country to know about its “failure” in combating the crisis, and was “indulging in politics to keep the truth from coming out”.

“Four days have passed since the cyclone wreaked havoc, but the state government has failed to reach out to the distressed. Now that we are trying to help those people, it would not let us. The TMC should stop indulging in petty politics in this hour of crisis,” he insisted.

Ghosh also said, “We make the law in the parliament, while police are trying to teach me about law. They are basically restricting us from reaching out to the people, but wherever I stand, people rush there to greet me because they voted me”.

Images from iNET.

Amphan destroys jute cultivation in Bengal, lakhs of farmers in extreme distress

The cyclone has ravaged standing jute crops grown in about 7.5 million hectare in some parts of North-24-Parganas, Hooghly, Nadia, Murshidabad, East Midnapore and Howrah districts, which are main jute growing belt of the state.

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 24 MAY: The extremely severe cyclonic storm, Amphan has devastated a vast area of jute cultivation in West Bengal leaving lakhs of farmers in extreme distress.

The cyclone has ravaged standing jute crops grown in about 7.5 million hectare in some parts of North-24-Parganas, Hooghly, Nadia, Murshidabad, East Midnapore and Howrah districts, which are main jute growing belt of the state.

“The cyclone severely affected the standing jute crop by lodging, specially that attains a height of 0.5 to 1.5 mt. Severe cyclonic wind with heavy rainfall almost swept the crops to the ground level. Lodging of the plant and water logging may adversely affect the further growth and fibre production if proper post-cyclone care is not taken, said Dr Gouranga Kar, director of the ICAR-CRIJAF.

Dr Kar said that the institute stands with the farmers for all types of technical assistance/advisory for reviving the crop in the field at this juncture of crisis.

Jute is the important cash crop in eastern India, particularly in West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Assam and about 5 million people are directly or indirectly depend on jute crop for their livelihood.

Amidst COVID-19 crisis, jute was successfully grown in the districts in this season of 2020 pre-kharif successfully. Even in some states 10-15% more crop area was reported by field functionaries. But the recent ‘very severe cyclone’ “Amphan” with wind speeds of 155 kmph and 200 to 230 mm rainfall have devastated the jute crop in some parts of jute growing districts of the state.

Dr.Kar told that the farmers must adopt few corrective measures to minimize the loss in production in this adverse condition.  The farmers should drain out the standing water by making suitable drainage in the field. For immediate removal of water suitable drainage path in the field bund is to be made towards downward slope. After removing the stagnant water from the field, field ditch (20 cm wide and 20 cm depth at 10 m interval) should be made for removing the remaining water. Besides the grown up crops of more than 1mt height must be tied together (8-10 plants) for straightening the plants for vertical growth of the crop, Dr Kar added.

Dr. S. Satpathy, Head of Division said, during the post cyclone period due to high humidity and temperature stem rot disease may appear in jute crop. The younger seedlings of 30-40 days old duration may be treated with protective fungicides after complete draining out of water from the plots to protect the crop from seedling diseases like blight and damping off.

Dr.Kar reiterated to follow the agro-advisory given in the Institute website regularly by the farmers to meet out the problems in jute crop from time to time. Also farmers are advised to consult the scientists of ICAR-CRIJAF to meet out few problems arising in jute crop due to cyclone and heavy rainfall. Every week about 2.5-3.0 lakhs farmers are enriched with ICAR-CRIJAF agro advisory. Those farmers who have enrolled their names for the Government's crop insurance scheme should consult local agriculture officers and follow the procedure to get compensation loss.