Rio writes letter to PM on drought-like situation in Nagaland

After declaring a drought-like situation in Nagaland affecting cultivation of paddy and horticultural crops, CM Neiphiu Rio has shot a letter to the prime minister seeking the Centre's assistance to mitigate the situation in the state.

After declaring a drought-like situation in Nagaland affecting cultivation of paddy and horticultural crops, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has shot a letter to the prime minister seeking the Centre's assistance to mitigate the situation in the state.

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Informing Manmohan Singh about the prevailing agricultural situation due to scanty rainfalls and delayed monsoon, Rio said the state government would soon submit a detailed report to the Centre on the situation and the states need to tackle over the crisis, official sources said in Kohima on Friday.

The chief minister on Wednesday reviewed the agricultural activities in different parts of the state with senior officials of Agriculture and allied departments, and the government declared that a drought-like situation prevailed in Nagaland and asked the committee for calamity relief to immediately prepare an action plan for mitigating the imminent crisis.

The letter sent to the PMO on Thursday mentioned that the current season recorded the lowest rainfall in past five years, adversely affecting transplantation of paddy and the condition in rain-fed jhum cultivation was acute.

Rio pointed out that the scanty rainfall also adversely affected the process of flowering and fruiting of various horticultural crops including vegetables and there were reports of unusual invasions of pests and insects from different parts of the state.