Filling fields mark comeback from conflict to agriculture

For two consecutive seasons,sometimes three,families in Junglemahal could not raise their crops. With their villages constantly patrolled,many men went into hiding to escape the compulsion of siding either with the CPM or with the Maoists.

The change started a few months ago. In 2011,5.327 lakh hectares of land in West Midnapore were cultivated for aman paddy,against 3.29 lakh hectares the previous year,according to agriculture department records. “Of the 29 blocks in the district 11 are affected by Left-wing extermism. Last year,farmers in thse regions could not cultivate their land. This year,they have cultivated almost all cultivable land,” an official with the department said.

Gyanaranjan Mahato,also of Kuldiha,has cultivated his six cottahs after three years. “I was arrested on charges of sedition and spent almost a year in jail. I had to mortgage my land to pay for my bail,” he says. “This year I have produced crops and expect to be able to repay the loan.”

The cooperative in Kuldiha has loaned Rs 10 lakh to 150 farmers. “This is under a government scheme. In 2010,there was no amount to disburse,” said Jyotip,who has now been elected manager of the cooperative.

Sajal Jana of Manidaha has started rebuilding his poultry farm,looted by Maoists in 2010 and torched by CPM armed cadres last year. His family had to flee to various places and work for daily wages. All are now back.

Dipak Patra,25,of Hatimasan village is back in college,having dropped a year after fleeing the village; he says CPM armed cadres had evicted his family and set up a camp at the house.

Also reflecting the change in Junglemahal is the steep drop in the number of civilians killed by Maoists.