State offers cash for dead rats

New Delhi - India's north-eastern state of Mizoram has offered cash rewards for people to kill a population of an estimated 400 000 rats as widespread destruction of paddy crops by the ravenous rodents has sparked fears of a famine in the region, a news report said on Monday.

"We are motivating villagers to kill rats and bring tails as evidence to local authorities," James Lalsianliana, the head of the state's rodent-control cell told the IANS news agency. "We are awarding two rupees (35 cents) per rat killed."

The Mizoram government earlier sounded an alert, saying the state could face a famine this year with the flowering of vast forests of bamboo triggering an invasion by swarms of rats on granaries and paddy fields.

Bamboo does not normally flower. Agricultural scientists said the bamboo flowers increase the fertility of the rats. When this unusual phenomenon takes place, the rodent population goes up, and the rats feast on everything that comes their way, the report said.

"The phenomenon of bamboo flowering occurs every 48 years, so 2007 is the year when we expect a famine," Mizoram Chief Minister Pu Zoramthanga was quoted as saying. "There are early warnings already about the impending catastrophe."

In 1958 to 1959, a famine in Mizoram resulted in the death of at least 100 people as well as losses of property and crops.

The Mizoram government has already approved 800,000 rupees for the anti-rodent drive that was launched October 5.

"Already hundreds of people are queuing up in front of local agriculture offices with rat tails," Lalsianliana said, adding that the campaign that runs until December might be extended if required.

Since 2004, the state government has spent about 20,5-million rupees toward controlling rats. The state has tried several measures like poisoning the rodents and inviting in experts from abroad. -
Sapa-DPA

Source: iol.co.za