GUWAHATI: In a concerning development, Assam is facing a severe pest attack that has rapidly spread across 16 districts in the state. The situation, initially reported on November 8 in Barama, Baksa district, is now said to be under control. However, the aftermath has left more than 30,000 hectares of land affected, with Baksa being the worst-hit district, followed by Darrang and Barpeta.
The swarming caterpillar, commonly known as the army worm, is identified as the nocturnal pest responsible for invading cropland in large numbers during the night. While Baksa has witnessed over 10,000 hectares of damage, other districts like Darrang and Barpeta also report significant impact.
The Agriculture Department promptly issued alerts across the state. Despite heavy losses incurred by many farmers, the government has directed them to seek redressal through the State Disaster Management Authority to compensate for their losses.
The Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, along with senior officials, held a video conference with district agricultural officials on November 17. In desperate attempts to control the infestation, some farmers resorted to burning their fields, alleging delayed assistance.
As of November 22, monitoring and action by the agriculture department have reduced the affected area to 7,137 hectares. The districts impacted by the pest attack include Baksa, Darrang, Barpeta, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Kokrajhar, Nagaon, Lakhimpur, Nalbari, Sonitpur, and Udalguri.
