November 16, 2019
State Govt preparing contingency plan for cultivable land
The State Government is working on a contingency plan for farmers affected by Cyclone Bulbul. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is taking an active role in the making of the plan.
The plan is being developed based on the report submitted by the Agriculture Department, written after field assessments were done by its officials. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had visited several affected areas on November 11 and 13 to take stock of the situation. Her inputs will also form a major part of the plan.
According to the department’s report, 9.15 lakh hectares of agricultural land spread over six districts (South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur) have borne the brunt of the severe cyclonic storm. The heavy rainfall for two days, that accompanied the storm, added to the extent of damage.
Major agricultural products like paddy (aman), potato, vegetables, pulses, mustard, flower and betel leaves have been damaged.
The maximum damage has been caused to land where paddy has been cultivated – 8.35 lakh hectares of paddy-growing fields have been affected, with South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur suffering the most. Cash crops like flowers and betel leaves have also suffered damage. It is estimated that 1,900 hectares of flower-producing land and 5,500 hectares of betel leaf-producing land have been damaged.
Bangla is the highest producer of paddy and the second highest producer of potato. With the State Government preparing the contingency plan, farmers will heave a sigh of relief that their damages will be taken care of.
Source: Millennium Post
