Port Blair, Mar 21: Seeing the damage caused by field rat Bandicota bengalensis, “Rodent Eradication Campaign” was organized successfully by the Department of Agriculture, Diglipur field in association with ATMA in Subashgram, Khudirampur, Diglipur, R.K.Gram, Madhupur, D.B. Gram, Rabindrapally, Laxmipur, Sitanagar and Keralapuram villages of Diglipur zone by involving farmers, farmer friends and staff of the department. The campaign started from 5th March and continued till 15th March 2014.
The campaign included pre-baiting from 11th March to 13th March, 2014 and baiting with zinc phosphide on 14th March 2014. Before going for poison baiting, Smti Sreedevi Assistant Director(Agri), Diglipur sensitized the farmers of all the target villages about the rodent menace and its extent of damage caused to the farmers and their role in the campaign. Mr. U.K.Nayak, Plant Protection Officer and Mr. S.C. Bairagi, Technical Assistant, Central Integrated Pest Management Centre, Port Blair also discussed about various methods of rat management, like bund trimming, weed free cultivation, traps and the method of application of rodenticides and precautions to be followed. The baits were prepared by involving the farmers under the supervision of the Agriculture Department and Central Integrated Pest Management Centre, Port Blair.
The poison baits (15 gm-20 gm.) were placed in the identified locations in the evening and the following morning the dead rodents and left over baits were collected and disposed safely by the farmers under the supervision of staff of Agriculture Department. Rodent control measure adopted was successful in the affected fields. Technical guidance and materials required for poison bailing was provided by the Agriculture Department. For publicity the department has given handouts of the schedule of the programme and precautions to be followed by the farmers while going for poison baiting in the local language.
The farmers are advised to be more vigilant and if rodent menace is noticed, timely action should be taken to control this problem in their fields/homesteads as the farmers have been trained with the techniques of rodent eradication through this campaign. Necessary technical guidance and rodenticide will be provided by the Agriculture Department. For further details farmers can contact their nearest sub-depots inchages.
