Mizoram seeks state disaster status as rats destroy paddy, crops
Rodent control operations are underway, with mass poisoning drives launched in the worst-hit areas.
A file image of crop destroyed due to rodent outbreak in Mizoram. (Photo: @airnews_aizawl/x)
Aizawl, Oct 13: The Mizoram government has sought urgent intervention to tackle large-scale destruction of paddy and other crops caused by an unprecedented surge in rodent populations. Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister PC Vanlalruata said his department has requested the State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation (DM&R) Department to declare the crop devastation a state disaster.
Vanlalruata noted that although the government recently finalised an insurance provider for crop protection, farmers hit by the rodent infestation - triggered by the phenomenon known as ‘Thingtam’ - may not be eligible for coverage, as the policy was only formalised last Friday after a prolonged delay.
The ‘Thingtam’ phenomenon, a rare ecological event linked to the mass flowering of ‘bambusa tulda’ (rawthing bamboo), has led to a dramatic rise in rodent populations. Swarms of rats have destroyed paddy fields and other crops across Mizoram. While crop insurance may not cover these losses, Vanlalruata said farmers could still receive compensation if the DM&R Department officially declares ‘Thingtam’, a state-specific disaster.
Rodent control operations are underway, with mass poisoning drives launched in the worst-hit areas. The Department of Agriculture has distributed rodenticides to farmers to contain the infestation and prevent further crop loss.
Around 4,000 households across 130 villages in all 11 districts have reported severe crop damage, with paddy being the worst affected. Other crops, including maize, sugarcane, cowpea, ginger, eggplant, chili, pumpkin, sesame, and cucumber, have also suffered in several regions. So far, 1,737.354 hectares of paddy fields have been destroyed out of a total of 6,869.954 hectares under cultivation.
The surge in rodent numbers marks the return of the ‘Thingtam’ event, which occurs roughly once every 48 years. The last outbreak in 1977 caused similar devastation, and this year’s infestation has revived memories of that crisis across Mizoram.
Correspondent