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October
22, 2000
Sylhet,
Oct 21 (UNB) - Widespread pest attack in four upazilas of the district
has caused extensive damage to standing Aman crops.
Local
farmers said 80 percent of the total 40,000 hectares of land in Sadar,
Golapganj, Bianibazar and Jokiganj upazilas have been attacked by `Pamri
poka’. The pest attack has threatened the overall production of aman
paddy in the district.
Meanwhile,
Agriculture Extension Department (AED) has formed a squad to combat
the pest menace. They said Sadar and Golapganj upazilas are worst
affected.
But
the local growers held responsible agriculture officials for not
taking timely measures to check the pest attack despite they were
informed time and again.
They
said the situation turned worse as the block supervisors failed to
monitor the activities of the field level workers of AED.
Scarcity
and price hike of pesticides, irregularities in supplying spray
machines by the AED and total indifference of the officials at the
initial stage were the reasons behind the massive damage of the
standing Aman crops by pests, said the locals.
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