Dedicated for the flood-hit regions along the lower Damodar and Ajoy river basins, state’s Comprehensive Area Development Corporation (CADC) here has prepared 80,000 scion plantlets, which are set to be distributed soon after the collateral impacts of cyclone Dana fades out.

Cultivation in the flood-hit blocks of in Bankura, East Burdwan, Hooghly and Birbhum remained waterlogged for weeks causing absolute decomposition of yields due to the damaged root system, nutrient leaching and oxygen deprivation, which left perpendicular impact on the rural agricultural economy since the first week of September. The CADC, considering the plight of common and marginal farmers, has taken the task to lend a facelift for the vegetable cultivators and has beefed up its captivated gardens to prepare thousands of cash crop plantlets.

“This short-term measure can well be quite effective in certain chosen blocks for sure. Such transplantation though isn’t so easy,” said Pradip Majumdar, state’s panchayat minister. But, he added: “In macro level, we stress preparing community seed beds in comparatively highland areas taking the beneficiaries in confidence for further resumption of paddy cultivation, which is our principal crop.”

The CADC, since floods in September, already has secured growing up scions for 350 hectares of Kharif vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage with solanaceae family vegetables like tomato, brinjal alongside extensive varieties of chilly have been categorised. “We’ve prioritised certain Bankura blocks like Sonamukhi, Patrasayer, Indus; Ilambazar block in Birbhum and Khandaghosh in East Burdwan,” said Subhashis Batabyal, chairman, CADC. He added, “We’ve asked the captive gardens not to leave the beds empty and sow immediately after one sapling lot is distributed, as we’ve to feed many affected areas.”

The ‘almost matured’ plantlets, Batabyal said, “Would facilitate quicker yield generating marketable surpluses.” The initiative, the officials said, are set to be dispatched for the affected areas after the impact of Dana fades out to prevent furthermore damage.

Also, flood and flood-like situation have attributed a new dimension to soil erosion forming ‘Gully’, a landform created by extensively running water and tendency of rivers to change their course of direction, which, according to the senior agricultural experts: “Have left a menacing impact on the livelihood and habitat of the people in the low land areas.” These new designs are affecting the cash crop cultivation, where, the officials said, such supplementary initiatives have “Became more useful.”