Western Swamphen suspected to be damaging transplanted crop in fields through night. Farmers seek help of Department of Agriculture and ICAR
The damaged fields of Macazana. The suspected western Swamphen bird behind the menace and the service provider showing the damaged seedlings.
MARGAO
Beleaguered farmers in Macazana and adjoining villages find themselves in a tight spot over the damage and destruction to their recently transplanted paddy for the new season.
Take note, pests are not the cause behind the damage caused to the transplanted crop, but the suspects are migratory birds, leaving the fields devastated, responsible for the menace. Under the scanner of the farmers is the migratory bird, Western Swamphen, which they suspect is behind the destruction caused to the transplanted paddy.
If the farmers are to be believed, the dark blue coloured bird descends into the fields around twilight before it starts by cutting the seedlings, leaving them destroyed.
A service provider and farmer, Valentino Rodrigues had a bitter experience with the bird as large tracts of transplanted paddy have been found destroyed in Macazana alone. He along with Macazana villagers showed to 'The Goan' how tracts of paddy fields have been damaged by the migrant bird.
“We had just completed the work of transplanting paddy in Macazana village, but we were shocked to find the seedlings cut. Normally, we take a round of the fields the very next day to see the condition of the seedlings after the transplantation. We have been taken aback by the extent of the seedlings cut down and destroyed,” he said.
He added: “When we did a study to find out the cause behind the sudden destruction, we reached the conclusion that it is the handiwork of the migratory bird Western Swamphen, the dark blue coloured bird. Our information revealed that the bird descends at the fields around twilight and causes destruction throughout the night. The bird then flies to the adjoining water bodies.”
Pointing out that he had carried out mechanical transplantation of paddy on a field admeasuring 6,000 square metres, Valentino claimed that half the paddy cultivation has been damaged. “This is now happening for the last couple of days. Farmers of neighbouring villages have also claimed a similar situation,” he said.
Taking no chances, Valentino has brought the unusual situation to the notice of the Director of Agriculture, Neville Alphonso for intervention and to save the farmers from losses. “We do not know whether the agriculture department will have a solution as it is not possible to cover a huge area with a net,” he said, adding that the Agriculture Director has promised all the help to the farmers.
He further said he has requested the Agriculture Director to rope in the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) to conduct a detailed study of the situation and find a solution.
“We feel that the lakes constitute the nesting place for these migratory birds. We do not find the presence of the birds during the daytime. It was only around twilight that the birds descended in the fields,” he said.
He added: “Our interactions with the farmers have revealed that the birds have not only eaten and damaged the baby plants but even grown-up seedlings are affected. Some of the farmers had installed effigies in the fields but in vain. The newly cultivated fields resemble barren fields now.”
Salcete ZAO to inspect fields; Forest dept, ICAR also alerted
Taking cognizance of the plight of farmers, Director of Agriculture Neville Alphonso has told the Salcete Zonal Agricultural Officer to visit the affected agricultural fields at Macazana for an on-the-spot inspection of the agricultural fields.
The Director expressed his concern over the situation expressed by the beleaguered farmers. “I have told our Salcete ZAO Sheriff Furtado to inspect the fields early next week. Since the issue also falls in the domain of the Forest Department given that the farmers have suspected birds behind the menace, we will also involve the forest officials and officials of the ICAR after the inspection by our ZAO,” Alphonso said.
Saying that net trap is not a solution to curb the menace, the Agriculture Director said that sound traps could be an option, which would be evaluated after the inspections by the Forest and ICAR officials.
