Centre turning blind eye to ‘wheat blast’, says Ashish Banerjee

An official with affected wheat. (File photo)

The state government on Thursday alleged that the Centre is turning a blind eye to the menace of “wheat blast”, which would have a “devastating effect” if it is allowed to spread nationwide.

The state government had recently banned wheat cultivation in Nadia and Murshidabad districts bordering Bangladesh for two years, and any area 5 km from the border. The two districts, in February, had first reported symptoms similar to those of wheat blast — a disease caused by a fungus that makes ripe wheat turn whitish and dry up — leading to burning of crops over 1,000 acres.

Wheat blast can infect large areas in a short time and render an area infertile for two to three years. Once it strikes, the entire crop has to be burnt and the ash disposed to prevent a return the next season. First identified in Brazil in 1985, it struck last year in Bangladesh, where crops over 20,000 hectares were burnt.

The Centre, as of now, has termed it to be a ‘wheat blast-like disease’.

“We have received no help from the Centre. Whatever we are doing is on our own. Under the guidance of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, we are doing whatever we can to contain the menace and provide alternative for farmers,” said state Agriculture Minister Ashish Banerjee.

“The Centre is aware of the disease. Since February, symptoms have been identified in Bengal. But we have received no help — neither men nor material and money. The state government has paid compensation to farmers whose crops were burnt in February in the two districts,” he added.

Accusing the Centre of displaying stepmotherly attitude when it comes to Bengal, the minister said: “Even when we had sustained losses due to floods, the Centre did not help the farmers. The state government paid them compensation. The Centre is shutting down projects and not sending us our due money.”

However, the Union agriculture ministry maintained it is in touch with its state counterpart. “We are aware of the seriousness of the issue — India being the second largest producer of wheat. We have held meetings and are working with the state government on this,” said a senior official.

Meanwhile, Banerjee on Thursday met agriculture department officials, district magistrates of Nadia and Murshidabad and panchayat representatives at Berhampore in Murshidabad. “We are happy to say that most farmers are now aware of the problem. We have decided to rope in community leaders, imams and purohits to tell villagers about the ill effects of wheat cultivation,” he said.

“We are also spreading awareness in villages through tableaus, loudspeakers, leaflets, hoardings and banners. We are distributing alternate crop seeds like pulses, oil seeds and others to farmers. The cause of farmers comes first to our government,” added Banerjee.

“We have asked officials to hold programmes with community leaders, educating them about the disease and its effects. They would be told that once the symptoms surface, for two to three years, wheat cannot be cultivated on that land. Moreover, if it spreads out of Bengal, it will cause havoc… These religious and community leaders will then go back to the people and campaign against wheat cultivation,” said a senior official in Murshidabad.

Besides roping in religious leaders, the government has also banned movement of wheat grains out of the affected areas in Bengal with the BSF been alerted to stop any wheat movement from Bangladesh.