Aizawl, Oct. 3 (PTI): Flowering of a bamboo species in Mizoram has led to rodent attacks and more than 572 hectares of paddy in nine of its 11 districts are affected by it, a senior official of the state agriculture department said. The infestation was reported in 114 villages and a number of farmers have been affected by it, the department director James Lalsiamliana said on Monday. The state reported an increase in rodent population from about August due to the flowering of ‘Rawnal’ (Dendrocalamus) bamboo species. It is believed to be a preliminary sign of ‘Thingtam’ or flowering of ‘Bambusa Tulda’ bamboo (Rawthang in local parlance) species due in 2025. Mizoram, which has a mainly agrarian economy and rice is the staple diet of its people, experienced a famine-like situation due to ‘Mautam” or flowering of Melocanna Baccifera in 2007. “The intensity of rodent attacks varies from 0.5 to 10 per cent in the rodent hit areas of Mizor
In the biggest drug haul in Mizoram this year, police have seized 5 lakh Methamphetamine tablets valued at Rs 10 crore from a truck near Aizawl and arrested two persons from Assam, a senior officer said on Friday.