Rio seeks PM help for drought

Dimapur, July 16 (MExN): A day after declaring Nagaland to be drought-hit, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today petitioned the Prime Minister of India for “kind and benign intervention” once the state approaches the central government for assistance after making detailed assessment of the crop failure in the state. Special Task Forces have been set up to make in-depth study of the effects and work out an action plan for mitigation measures. 

An official letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by Rio highlighted the plight of Nagaland due to the ‘serious climatic condition that is prevailing in Nagaland’ which is affecting the lives of the people. Pointing out that agriculture is the mainstay of the people of Nagaland, dependent on rain, Rio stated that the weather conditions this year has been erratic and alarming. 

Rains have been delayed by almost two months and whatever rainfall the state has been receiving now is far below the normal average which is a meager  37.01%, “the lowest recorded during the last five years”, said Rio. Paddy cultivation, Jhum fields and horticultural fruits, he explained further, have been aversely affected. Besides, Rio also informed of various reported unusual pest and insect infestations affecting crops aside from the extensive damage caused to various  crops by rodents, especially in Peren district.

Small and marginal farmers are facing difficulties in pursuing their activities and this would seriously affect their livelihood, Rio said. 

“Therefore, given such abnormal conditions and seeing that it is necessary that steps are taken to prevent any large scale unemployment, food scarcity and general fall in income of the people that state government has declared that drought like condition is prevailing in the state of Nagaland,” Rio stated. 

Rio also informed that as a first-step to tackle this problem, special state level and district level task forces have been set up to make in-depth study of the effects and work out an action plans for mitigation measures. And once the detailed assessment of the extent of crop failure is completed, the state government would be approaching the Government of India for necessary assistance for the affected farmers, said Rio. “We request your kind and benign intervention,” he appealed.