In the panjums (ripe fields/borrows) of Panpunji (tribal village), new betel has grown on the trees. The newly-planted drinking has also started. The farmers of the Khasia Panpunjis are spending busy time with picking betel. But at this time of the beginning of the new harvest, they have faced great damage due to hailstorms. The ravages of hailstorm are slowly becoming evident in various reservoirs including Lauachhara, Magurchhara in Moulvibazar.

On the one hand, betel leaves have fallen due to hail, the betel vine has broken, on the other hand, the wounds or scars caused by the impact of rocks on the betel leaves are causing leaf rot disease. This leaf rot disease is very contagious and harmful for drinking water. It is feared that the production of khasia bean will be disrupted.

Khasi Social Council’s Publicity Secretary and Lauachharapunji resident Saju Marchiang told Prothom Alo on Tuesday that many betel growers have arranged irrigation with betel barges to save betel trees from drought in winter. In order to water the ben trees regularly, they have taken loans and arranged deep tube wells, so that the ben trees have an early crop (pan). They took care of the tree with the hope of getting a good price for the betel leaf. But the hailstorm ruined everything.

According to Khasi Social Council, Panpunji Mantri (Punji Pradhan) and Panchashi sources, since the last week of April there have been several spells of rain and hail. In this, there has been extensive damage to the panjums of various areas including Lauachharapunji, Balishirapunji, Magurchharapunji, Debalchhara, Gobinchhara, Katabil, Kurma, Kalenjipunji of Srimangal and Kamalganj upazilas of Moulvibazar. Many betel leaves have been punctured by the hailstorm. The page is torn. The vines are broken. This betel can no longer be sold as the leaves are torn off.

People involved in betel cultivation said that usually the ‘Labor (season of picking new leaves)’ starts from April. At this time new leaves appear on the vine. New leaves have also started. But during the Khasia ben picking season, the ben farmers of various capitals have suffered losses due to hailstorm. Farmers said that due to the hailstorm, betel leaves were punctured, betel vines were broken, and many trees were weakened due to broken branches. Due to which the betel nut will die at some point.

There is a danger that trees damaged by hail may not produce betel nuts in the future. Infected betel turn red and may cause outbreak of ‘uttram (leaf rot)’ disease. Utram is a very harmful disease for drinking water. It spreads rapidly from leaf to leaf. If this disease occurs in the upper part of the palm tree, the upper part of the tree should be cut. If rotting starts from the root, the tree should be cut.

Khasi betel cultivation is the main source of livelihood for the people of Khasipunji. Phila Patmi, general secretary of Khasi Social Council and minister of Lauachhara Khasiapunji, said last Monday that 30 families are living in Lauachhara Khasiapunji. 15 to 20 lakh rupees worth of water has been lost in this capital due to hailstorm.

Kamalganj’s Magurchharapunji sources have informed that almost half of the Jumer pan of Magurchharapunji has been damaged by hailstorm. Hailstorm has caused more damage on the western side of this reservoir (Magurchara). Due to less hailstorm in the east, there was not so much damage on that side.

The president of Khasi Social Council and head of Mantri Division of Magurchharapunji, Suchyang said to Prothom Alo that the hailstorm has caused a lot of damage to the betel growers. There is not so much damage if the drink breaks or falls down. The big danger is that more damage is caused if the discharge occurs from a boil or scar. This disease spreads very quickly.