SHILLONG, AUG 23: Opposition AITC legislator from Mawsynram Himalaya Shangpliang on Tuesday demanded the state government to immediately come up with relief measures to betel nut farmers in the state.
Speaking to reporters, Shangpliang said, “I would like to appeal to the government that it should come to the relief of our betel nut farmers and immediate solutions should be provided to the betel nut farmers and immediate medicinal technologies whatever they may have should be provided to do away with these two types of diseases that the betel nut trees are being affected,” he said.
He said that when he had raised the issue in the last Assembly, the Minister in-charge Agriculture Banteidor Lyngdoh had assured that the rotting of the betel nut trees in his constituency particularly and the state as a whole would be handled and taken care by the department at the earliest possible.
He said on July 6, 2022, some experts have gone to the border areas of Mawsynram constituency like in Umsawrang area and what they have done is they have tried to test by flying a drone and spraying certain pesticides over the trees of the betel nut .
“This exercise, according to them, was just a trial. Now that came as a trial and after that nothing has happened till date. Now the betel nut trees are rotting day by day,” he said.
He said the farmers in the plain belt of Mawsynram constituency used to sell betel nut in a season that goes to the tune of lakhs of rupees.
“Now if you see the destruction caused by these diseases on the betel nut trees, it is really surprising to see that hundreds and hundreds of trees are just decaying and they are just falling.”
He said, “I am totally disappointed with the way this horticulture department is functioning. After a repeated appeal to the government and department to rescue or to come to the relief of the betel nut farmers till date nothing has happened,” he added.
Shangpliang also alleged that the horticulture department is trying to force the betel nut farmers to go for plantation of pineapple instead of providing an immediate solution to address the bud rot and yellow diseases that are affecting betel nut trees across the state.
“I am even more surprised to see that the horticulture department and its officers are trying to convince these betel nut farmers to give up planting betel nuts and rather go for pineapple plantation,” he said.
By Our Reporter
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