The Hindu : Kerala News : Basmati harvest brings cheer to Thevalakara

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Friday, Apr 25, 2008
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Kerala

Basmati harvest brings cheer to Thevalakara

Staff Reporter

KOLLAM: When District Collector A. Shajahan inaugurated the harvest of basmati crop on 20 acres of paddy field on Thursday, it marked the beginning of the revival of 2,000 acres of paddy field which was lying idle for 20 years.

The Kaipuzha Chala Padashekaram in Thevalakara grama panchayat under the Chavara block panchayat of Kollam district was lying idle for the past 20 years with garbage being dumped on it. Block panchayat president V. Madhu said truck loads of garbage from various parts of the district were being dumped on the paddy field.

When things became unbearable, the grama panchayats launched a campaign under the banner of Kaipuzha Chala Padashekaram Punaruthana Samithi to save the paddy field from the garbage menace. When this task was achieved, the Samithi set out to revive the paddy field.

Three months ago basmati seeds were sown and now it was ready for harvest. Nearly 150 persons in the Samithi stand to benefit from the harvest. Of the revenue generated, 45 per cent would go to the paddy field owners, 40 per cent to the farmers and 15 per cent to the labourers.

He said a programme had been finalised to bring 100 acres of paddy field under rice cultivation next month.

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