Mysore: Flowering of bamboo causes worry

DHNS

• Phenomenon is believed to increase population of rats, rodents

 

Mysore, 21 September 2011: Flowering of bamboo is a rare phenomenon and this year this rare event has happened, thereby leading to destruction of bamboo plants. The bamboo, which used to be available in the forest in abundance, has been vanishing gradually.

 

Elephants depend on bamboo for food and since it is not available to them in bounty, they have been barging into the cultivated fields to pacify their hunger. September 18 is observed as World Bamboo day and on this day the responsible forest officials should have taken up programmes to spread awareness on bamboo and its importance. Unfortunately they have not organised any programme on this line, said Hunasur Bharathiya Girijana Shikshana Samsthe Director M B Prabhu.

 

It is a tragedy that despite knowing the fact that elephants which have not been able to get lush green leaves of bamboos for consumption have been ransacking the farmland, the forest officials have not taken steps to grow bamboo and conserve the patches of bamboos, he added.

 

It is seen that the wild elephant attacks have been on the rise over the last few months.

 

Botanists say that the lifespan of the bamboos differs from one variety to another but all of them bear flowers before dying. On flowering the entire bush withers off and dies. Generally it is believed that the flowers of bamboos attract rodents and rats.

 

These rodents and rats not only feast on the flowers of the bamboo but also destroy the farm land.

 

Hence it is said that the flowering of bamboo means that the region will be hit by drought and shortage of food grains.

 

District Budakattu Krishikara Sangha President J P Raju said that forest officials should take steps to grow bamboo in large number so as to prevent the depleting number of bamboo bushes.Depletion in number of bamboo bushes will have an impact on ecology thereby affecting the natural habitat of many wild species.

 

The bamboo trees which are dying in the region must be used for manufacturing paper. It should be supplied to tribal families at subsidised cost. Large areas in the forest should utilised for growing bamboo so that elephants can feed on it, urge tribals.