About a dozen of farmers of Baro gram panchayat with damaged paddy stems in their hands on Monday called on the district Collector and urged him to take immediate steps for protection of tier crops from aphids’ (jau poka) attacks.
According to the farmers, 90 per cent of people of the GP earn their livelihood by undertaking sarada paddy cultivation. But, this year aphids have eaten up their crops as a result of which they have turned helpless.
“We are now thinking how to repay our farm loans we have brought from different sources. If the district administration does not come to our help, there would be no option than to commit suicide,” said the villagers.