Uttar Pradesh farmers in the red as red rot infestation peaks

Agriculture scientists suggest crop rotation to stop the spread, but farmers wary as they feel other crops are prone to climate change-induced devastationShahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh: It is sugarcane harvest season, but Uttar Pradesh Sugar Industry and Sugarcane Development Department’s promotional vehicles buzz around the cane-growing belt of Bijnor asking farmers not to sow red rot infested varieties. The mistimed urgency is ironic as the damage has already been done, with farmers complaining about severe loss in a crop considered the safest among all.   However, the department does not agree. "We carried out frequent checks last year to prevent farmers from sowing diseased varieties. We went to villages with scientists to make them aware and to appeal to them to sow the varieties suggested by scientists,” claimed Prabhu Narayan, District Sugarcane Officer, Bijnor, adding that this time crop health is better than last year in the district, where 2,58,155 hectares are under sugarcane cultivation.After a record production of 12.43 crore quintals in 2023-24, Bijnor district recorded a decrease in production by three crore quintals so far this fiscal. Once Glomerella tucumanensis fungus affects sugarane, the leaf colour changes from green to orange and then yellow. These symptoms appear within 16 to 21 days of infection. The cane stalks start to wilt from bottom to top in the next 10 to 15 days. If cut open, a red patch that runs across the whole length of the cane would be visible.“Sugarcane will dry up after the disease, and no medicine works,” said Dr RV Ram, Deputy Sugarcane Commissioner, Devipatan block, which is made up of four districts — Gonda, Bahraich, Balrampur and Shravasti. From his experience, Pankaj Trivedi (48) from Brahmawali in Sitapur district knows this bitter truth. With a stoic silence, he stands on the road, watching his fields being destroyed by the disease every passing minute. “Only a few more days,” he said later, pointing to the not-yet-affected stalks. "Where will I take these stalks? What can I do?" he said, as an afterthought. If the harvest was good, he could have got over 700 quintals of sugarcane from two acres.Arpit Mishra (25) from Pachasa in Sitapur had sown sugarcane in about two-and-a-half acres. "My entire crop was lost in the red rot wave that swept the area from September to November. I removed all the stalks and sowed wheat crop last September. I got only 130 quintals from the two-acre field. Had things worked out well, I would have got around 800 quintals," he lamented.Farmers from Bhiriya, Kalwari, Muda, Angraura, Jamunia and Deoria of Sitapur district are equally fazed by the losses. As if to rub salt in the wound, farmworkers are no longer ready to work in the affected fields as wages are paid according to sugarcane weight. “Generally, labourers make Rs 50 to 60 per quintal. The labourers will not benefit if they work in disease-affected fields as the sugarcane weight will be obviously less,” said Rajesh Kumar, a farmer from Devariya in Sitapur. The very fact that farmers are facing severe red rot infestation this year makes it clear that they did not use disease resistant varieties nor was any campaign conducted on it during sowing season to make them aware.  Farmers showing affected sugarcane (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)The menacing spread Red rot usually crops up at the end of the monsoon season. Scientists believe the increased disease spread at the end of monsoon season (August-September) is due to moisture. "We conduct yearly pre- and post-monsoon checks at farmers’ fields. During one such inspection in an area under Nigohi Sugar Mill in western Uttar Pradesh in 2015, I was shocked to spot some plants with signs of red rot. I had a feeling that this could worsen. I started making farmers aware through meetings and other means. At first, they were not ready to believe us,” recalled Dr Sujeet Pratap Singh, Sugarcane Researcher, Uttar Pradesh Council of Sugarcane Research (UPCSR), Shahjahanpur. His worst fears came true the next year itself. “This time, the disease even started spreading in eastern Uttar Pradesh.”Meanwhile, there was no respite in western Uttar Pradesh. In 2016, red rot spread across Shahjahanpur, Sitapur and Kheri districts under Nigohi, Roza, Hargaon and Gola Research Farm sugar mill command areas. In 2017, Bareilly district and Ramkola sugar mill command area in Kushinagar district saw red rot cases. In 2018, it reached many new districts such as Gonda, Balrampur, Maharajganj, Mau, Azamgarh, Hardoi and Pilibhit. By 2019, red rot spread in the majorly cane-growing areas of Meerut and Bijnor.Singh put in four years (2015-19) to analyse the infection. “After my research, I named it Co 0238 Red-Rot-CF-13,” he said. The name because this virulent pathotype of red rot pathogen affects the sugarcane variety Co 0238. This variety has been in use for about 15 years. Singh considers Bijnor to be one of the worst-hit districts. "Farmers should sow only the recommended varieties such as Co 0118, Co 15023, Co 13235, COS 17231, CoLK 14201, CoLK 16202 and CoS 18231."Red rot disease in sugarcane (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Tricky solutionsOn November 26, 2024, the Uttar Pradesh Sugarcane Department declared Co 0238, Co 11015 and CoPb 95 as susceptible and appealed to farmers not to sow them. Confirming this, Veena Kumari, Principal Secretary, Sugar Industry and Sugarcane Development Department, Uttar Pradesh, told 101Reporters that despite being a high-yielding variety that has been a boon to both farmers and mills, Co 0238 has to be replaced to protect sugarcane from diseases. To prevent disease spread, Singh suggests that farmers should avoid continuous sowing of sugarcane and adopt crop rotation. “Besides crop rotation, farmers should use cow dung and mycoderma in their fields,” Ravi informed.According to Dr Sanjeev Kumar Pathak, Extension Officer, UPCSR, sugarcane can be sown from September 15 to October 30, or from February 15 to March 30. If the crop is sown in the first sowing window, sugarcane will be ready for harvesting next September-October. Following the harvest, any short-term crop such as potato, tomato or cabbage can be grown in the field. "It will be better to consult an agricultural scientist if the farmer wants to take up wheat crop during this time," Pathak said. However, crop rotation is not easy for farmers as climate change outwits them. "Farmers in my area are no longer cultivating wheat or rice, but sugarcane. I had given up on pigeon pea many years ago. This year, even sugarcane ditched me," said Nand Kumar Bajpai, a sugarcane farmer from Brahmawali.  Heat wave after sowing wheat, hailstorm at the time of harvest, no rain at the time of paddy sowing, heavy rain during paddy harvest, and flood inducing rain in pre-monsoon season affect the crops badly, be it wheat, paddy, black gram, potato, bottle gourd or ridge gourd.  Another reason for resistance to crop rotation is that sugarcane is the safest crop, which can always provide better earnings than others. “Even if there is a fire, sugarcane can still be sold at a lower rate,” said Dr Manmohan Singh, Senior Scientist, UPCSR.Sugarcane cultivation has increased in Uttar Pradesh due to farmers not being able to trust the weather. "Even a little unseasonal rain or hailstorm is enough to devastate other crops, but sugarcane withstands all these conditions," said Ambuj Bajpai (47) of Brahmawali village, on why the crop is an all-time favourite of farmers. Sugar department data show that the area under ​​sugarcane cultivation was 22.99 lakh hectares in 2017-18, which increased to 27.94 lakh hectares in 2018-19. In 2023-24, it touched 29.66 lakh hectares. Notably, with the increase in cropping area, red rot spread has also increased.According to the information shared by the department, 121 sugar mills were operational in Uttar Pradesh in 2023-24. However, the red rot issue is slowly affecting the functioning of sugar mills as well. Last year, the mills in Bareilly were processing cane until April. This year, at least four mills in the district will finish crushing by February itself as excessive rain in July and September last year and red rot infestation affected sugarcane production.Dry sugarcane used as firewood in the village (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)No compensation?Farmers and farmworkers of Brahmawali, Pachasa, Bhiriya, Kalwari, Muda, Angraura, Jamunia and Deoria villages in Sitapur district claimed that they have neither received any compensation in connection with red rot infestations nor has any government official contacted them for crop damage survey. Hari Om Shukla, regional head, DCM Shriram Ltd Sugar Mill, Hariyawan, added that he was not aware of any sugarcane farmer getting compensation for crop loss.To confirm this, 101Reporters called the free helpline 14447 of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Bima Yojana. After two attempts without proper replies, the customer care executive attending the call confirmed that there was no insurance for sugarcane under the scheme.  No compensation for sugarcane affected by red rot (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Explaining further, Sitapur District Agriculture Officer Manjeet Kumar told 101Reporters that the farmers were averse to insuring their sugarcane crop. "They thought the loss in sugarcane was less and their premium money would be wasted. As this trend continued, sugarcane was removed from the list of crops covered under the scheme in Uttar Pradesh," Kumar explained. Harivansh Kumar (70) from Brahmavali lost sugarcane in one hectare plot to red rot. "You can sow sugarcane crop once, and harvest it in two years. It is in the second year that we actually make money. However, red rot does not even allow a proper first harvest nowadays. For one acre plot, around 30 quintals of sugarcane seeds are required. The average seed price today is Rs 360 per quintal. Ploughing and sowing require Rs 2,000 per acre. Another Rs 5,000 should be paid to labourers for irrigating and deweeding, with each labourer making Rs 300 a day," he detailed. If things go as per the plan, a farmer can earn a profit of around Rs 2.5 lakh in the second year of harvest. However, with red rot sticking around, it is going to be a bitter harvest for sugarcane farmers.   This story was produced as a part of 101Reporters Climate Change Reporting Grant. Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Farmer showing red rot affected sugarcane (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)

Flood of woes rains on cattle rearers of Uttar Pradesh

With flooding of rivers spoiling the stored chaff and straw and affecting milk sales in many areas, villagers find it hard to feed their livestock and manage expenses Shahjahanpur/Farrukhabad/Hardoi/Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh: "I am no longer able to reach all the areas where I used to deliver milk. Some parts of Shahjahanpur city are still submerged. My milk business has been affected," said Om Prakash Pal (62) of Ladholi village in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district. Floodwaters from the Garra and Khannaut do not reach Ladholi, but milk sales have dipped and animal fodder has become expensive. From June 1 to July 11, the district received 232.70 mm against the usual 183 mm. River Ganga received 25,060 cusecs from Narora barrage, while the Ganga's tributary Garra received 23,812 cusecs from Duni barrage. River Ramganga, another tributary of Ganga, received 1,010 cusecs from several dams. The situation exacerbated after Nepal witnessed heavy rains and the rivers flowing into India from Nepal were swollen.  People passing through flooded roads (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Water from the Khannaut reached the house of Rajeshwar Singh (65), a cattle rearer from Niyamatpur village, on July 13. "There are many areas that are inaccessible, so my 20 litres of milk is getting wasted every day. My animals are crying due to hunger. This river must have flooded after 40 years.""I live in Kaperkatka. This time, the Garra waters reached the village at the beginning of monsoon season [June to October]. Such a flood must have happened after many years. The grasslands along the riverbanks have submerged and our expenses on animals have increased considerably. We are feeding them straw now," said Jalender Singh.Siyaram (60) brought his animals back for grazing once the water level near the riverbank reduced. "An animal requires seven to 10 kg of chaff per day. It costs about Rs 1,000 per quintal. I have six milch animals. The chaff has become expensive and it is not easily available now."Cattle grasslands surrounded by the flooded river (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Ram Kewal, Special Secretary, Revenue (Relief) Department, told 101Reporters that guidelines have been framed to offer assistance for flood damage. "Suppose there is loss of fodder, what will the cattle herder do? Everyone, from the district magistrate to accountant, is responsible for preparing and sending necessary reports to ensure relief," he said. Nizampur Gautiya is among the villages worst affected by the Garra floodwaters. "There were people waiting for food. There were people waiting to be saved. If someone was drowning, there was no one to save them. We ran towards a bridge. All the people and animals stood on that bridge and saved their lives," Bitoli Devi, aged around 35, narrated the ordeal. Despite the floods leaving them in tatters, Babli Devi, in her 30s, seemed to be more concerned about her cattle. "We lost three trolleys of chaff,” she said dejectedly.Explaining the money involved, Babli adds, “One trolley can hold at least 15 quintals of chaff. Losing 45 quintals that cost Rs 45,000 is an unbearable loss for us. We are labourers. We are not able to meet our expenses.”People of Nizampur Gautiya have been trying to reduce the losses by drying on roads and rooftops the straw left with them. "Walls collapsed, soil eroded and haystacks were washed away. As long as the floods lasted, our animals remained hungry. Due to this, milk production got affected," said Om Prakash Verma (40), who has six animals. Women from Nizampur Gautiya described how heaps of cow dung cakes were also washed away and those left behind became useless. According to the villagers, they are not in a position to buy gas cylinders and have only limited access to drywood for lighting stoves.Dinesh Singh (28) of Gutauti South in Farrukhabad district was roaming with his animals in the grassy fields far away when the Ganga waters entered his village. "After the floods, the milk dairy cooperative's vehicle is not coming here, so milk gets wasted. We are able to manage only half the amount of fodder that our animals eat daily,” said Singh, adding that the Ganga is two km away from the village. Pranshu Gautam (25) noted that straw costs Rs 800 to 1,000 per quintal and that he required around 15 quintals of it every month. “When people face problems in getting their own food, how can they rear their animals well?” he wondered.Sanjay Singh, the pradhan of Nagriya Jawahar village in Farrukhabad district, now transports fodder for his cattle in a boat. Surrounded by River Ramganga on one side, this village is only one to two km away from the Ganga.   Meanwhile, the accountant posted in Amritpur tehsil of Farrukhabad claimed that there is no provision to assess the loss of stored chaff. The accountant is supposed to assess the damage caused in the fields.Flooded rivers are spoiling the stored chaff (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)At Dhaniyapur of Hardoi district, people were seen removing rotten straw. At Kanakapur, some distance away from the Ganga, people were seen bringing fodder for their animals by boat.Premmukhi (38), who lives in Ganganagar in Shahjahanpur district, said the Ramganga originated from his village. “Due to last year’s straw shortage, I could not buy dry fodder for animals. I had to sell buffaloes worth Rs 55,000 for Rs 35,000. Now I have only two cows and one buffalo,” she said, adding that the walls of her house have collapsed in the recent floods.Sudesh Kumar (32) of the same village had built a mud wall around straw to prevent water from entering it. However, during the flood, water entered the straw. Now it is rotting and the animals are not eating it willingly.“During the rainy season, animals suffer from diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease and bovine ephemeral fever. In such cases, we have to go for private consultation. It is quite expensive,” Kumar added. Itauwa in Sitapur district is on the banks of River Chauka. Deepu Awasthi, a resident, said that only damage to fields and crops are assessed during damage assessment. “To date, I have not heard of nor seen any survey to compensate for the loss of dry fodder for animals. Usually, the flooding happens at the end of the monsoon season here, but it came early this time,” he said.  Mahesh Kumar Kaithal, the Sub-District Magistrate of Kalan area of ​​ Shahjahanpur district, said the first priority during floods is to save people's lives. On the straw shortage issue, he claimed the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) provides help in this regard. When contacted, Shahjahanpur district CVO Dr Manoj Kumar Aggarwal told 101Reporters that in case of fodder problem, help from Flood Disaster Relief Fund can be made available. "At present, there is no information of such a problem," he claimed.Regarding the spread of diseases after floods, Aggarwal said that vaccination has already been carried out in flood-affected areas. "If an animal falls ill, people can make use of the toll-free numbers given or visit a veterinary hospital," he added.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Cattle grazing along the Ganga river (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)

Costume festival brings joy, positivity to this small hamlet in Uttar Pradesh

Pailakisa has been witnessing the three-day annual event a day before karwa chauth since time immemorial, reinforcing social unity in the village Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh: A small hamlet in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh has made its name because of its annual three-day nakal — a sort of fancy dress competition. No one knows for sure when the tradition started, but it has always been around, says Ramdhar Rajvanshi (50) of Pailakisa village.The fair starts a day before karwa chauth and ends a day after it, bringing together the community and helping in honing the traditional artform.According to Sukali Rajvanshi (58), the entire village comes together to organise the fair. “This is our annual community event. Every section of the village contributes and participates in the fair. It reinforces the message of village unity. Also, there is no financial burden on anyone in connection with the fair,” he says.The village population is made up of Dhobis, Kahars, Muraus, Bhats, Naus, Pasis, Lakadharas, Bhurjis, Brahmins and Thakurs, who come together without any discrimination to organise the festival, he says.Villager painted his face for the costume fair (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Emotional significanceSumit Bajpai ‘Madhyandin’ (35), a writer, says the purpose of organising the nakal is to bring “positivity and happiness” in the village. “Its more crucial message is in promoting social unity.”  “The fair has been a part of our lives since childhood. Attending the fair was supposed to bring good luck. It was thought that skipping the fair for a year would lead to the death of 40 people,” Ramkumar Pandey (61) explains.Ramakant Pandey (94), a historian from Brahmawali village located some 12 km from Pailakisa, highlights the emotional and cultural significance of the festival for the residents. “The fair is held to ensure good luck in the village all year round and the villagers think that it is auspicious to attend. Around 60 to 70 years ago, the villagers could not organise the fair due to lack of time and coincidentally 40 people died due to a cholera outbreak. Though it is a coincidence, the villagers were deeply affected and ever since not a fair has been missed.”“We even got special permission from the administration to hold the fair during the pandemic,” Ramkumar says. The fair was organised in a big open field, and only a small number of people participated from Pailakisa and nearby villages.Villagers dressed up to celebrate social unity (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Economic significanceThe villagers are not underselling the importance of the fair, which draws residents from nearby areas in large numbers, thus spurring economic activity. Lekhraj Rajvanshi (45) of Dhorha village in Eliya block of Sitapur district has been setting up a stall during the fair here for the last five years. “I sell toys and run a food stall. I find great pleasure in attending this fair each time and to my knowledge, there is no comparable fair in the surrounding areas that I have seen or heard of,” he says, adding that the money he made depended on the crowd.  The village authorities do not charge any amount from the people who want to set up a stall at the fair. Food items, small decorative items, bindis, bangles and similar items are available at the fair. "I am setting up my shop here for the first time... every day, I manage to make a profit of Rs 400 to 500," Kamlesh Rathore of Maholi, who put together a stall for sunglasses this time, tells 101Reporters.  Thakur Gokul Singh (85) says because of the fair’s popularity, several local artistes participate in the nakal. "Earlier, known local artistes such as Buddha Lohar from Korapur village, Bihari Pandit from Luktaha village and Gulab from Khuti village participated in the nakal," he recalls.Villagers standing in their costumes (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Cultural significanceThe preparations for the fair begin after a special prayer on the first day of the month of kartik during krishna paksha, as per the Hindu calendar. Usually, only men participate in the nakal, says Ganga Devi, whose husband dresses up for the fair. “Most women fast on karwa chauth. It is possible that men took up on themselves the task of entertaining the village womenfolk and hence this tradition persisted,” she says.“The participants get their clothing and other embellishments ready and do their makeup on their own. Even my children take part in the nakal. These three days are a very enjoyable time,” she says.The popular nakals are Sulochana Prasang from Ramayana, imitated by Ramkumar Pandey, Mahouta-Mahoutin by members of Maurya and Rajvanshi families, Lord Shiva by Ramnath Pandey and Agia Betal by Devi Rajvanshi, besides different imitations of Lord Vishnu. Tableaux of different incarnations are also exhibited. Most of the artistes do not turn to the mainstream imitations, but just copy what their ancestors used to do.  Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaCover Photo - Villagers in amusing costume and painted faces (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)

How 320 km immune belt in western UP stopped Lumpy Skin Disease in its tracks

Vaccination drive undertaken on a war footing in five western districts reduces the number of infected cattle and prevents spread of the viral disease to other parts of the stateShahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Even as Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) spread across 10 states and union territories killing more than 1.5 lakh cattle last year, Uttar Pradesh managed to keep the disease in check by adopting a unique strategy of developing a 320-km immune belt.Uttar Pradesh shares a western border with Rajasthan, where the LSD struck hard, resulting in over 75,820 deaths. As the virus began to lurk its ugly head in the border areas of UP in August, the Animal Husbandry Department swung into action and launched mass vaccination drives in early September.The cattle population in 23 blocks of Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Faizabad, Mainpuri and Etawah districts received vaccination in no time, which drastically reduced the number of infected animals in the state. Even during the peak of the disease in Rajasthan, one could notice the difference while moving southwards from western UP.   The cattle in UP were mostly spared due to the creation of an immune belt. Ring vaccination, which involved isolating the infected animal and vaccinating all the cattle in its vicinity, was also strictly practised.“Immune belt has worked. The LSD affected only 32 of the total 75 districts in UP. Also, only 655 of the total 1,12,201 infected animals succumbed to the disease. In all, we did 1,57,87,470 cattle vaccinations in the state to keep the disease in check,” Dr Tarun Kumar Tiwari, Director, Disease Control and Farms, Directorate of Animal Husbandry, told 101Reporters.Prevention better than cureLSD is a contagious infection that affects cattle with lower immunity. The infected animal develops fever, excess salivation and nasal discharge, followed by the formation of nodes that look like lumps on the skin. The head, neck and udder are among the spots where eruptions are most visible. The animal would stop eating and milk production would go down. In severe cases, pneumonia and breathing difficulties can kill the cattle.(Above) An infected animal develops fever, excess salivation and nasal discharge, followed by the formation of nodes that look like lumps on the skin; (below) As the live attenuated LSD vaccine needed cold storage, teams carried the vials in ice bags, which were frequently checked by the inspection team for the right temperature (Photos - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)“Blood used to come out when the abscesses caused by the virus on my cow’s body burst. The government teams really helped. They visited us several times, gave us medicines free of cost and vaccinated other animals. Besides this free treatment, we also consulted private veterinarians, which cost us a lot,” said Neetu Kashyap, whose cow had LSD at that time. She lives in Sundar Nagar Paina in Shahjahanpur district. “My cow had only small blisters, but the team of doctors treated it. At that time, people claimed my cow is not local and that I bought it from outside for the greed of milk,” said Jalalpur Gurri-based Raju Mishra, whose village lies on the border with Lakhimpur district.  Many cattle rearers are unaware of the disease even now. “Vaccination was done in my village, but I do not know for what disease. It has not spread much here,” said Anmol Mishra of the same village. “There was no disease in our village… and we have 100 cows. Even then, the government team came here and vaccinated our animals and spread awareness on why it was needed,” said Shrikant Mishra of Barnai.Vaccination workflowTo control the spread of LSD, the Animal Husbandry Department aimed at vaccinating 2 lakh animals daily, which was scaled up to 4 lakh later. High-risk areas, mainly those near state or district borders, got priority. Ring vaccination was done in villages within the 5 km radius of any affected village. It takes a minimum of 10 days to three weeks to develop immunity from the vaccine. Though neighbouring Bareilly district was reporting LSD cases, vaccinations in Shahjahanpur district's border areas were already over a few weeks before that. Yet, when a few cases were found in Shahjahanpur during the making of the immune belt, ring vaccination was done there. “When LSD was confirmed in western UP, timely efforts were taken to prevent its spread to other districts. Over 56 teams went out in the morning and worked till late evening to cover the seven blocks in the district,” Shahjahanpur Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Jai Prakash Singh told 101Reporters.Each team had five members. Vaccinators were already equipped as they have been receiving training at the offices of both the chief and deputy medical officers from time to time. So, there were no hiccups on that front. Livestock extension officers were also travelling with the team, while doctors were in constant touch with the team.   Over 56 teams, of five members each, from the Animal Husbandry Department went out in the morning and worked till late evening to cover the seven blocks in Shahjahanpur district (Photos - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters) As the live attenuated LSD vaccine needed cold storage, teams carried the vials in ice bags, which were frequently checked by the inspection team. They were regularly checking the amount of ice in the bag and ensuring that the vaccine was stored properly. They also gave necessary instructions to the team. One of the challenging aspects for the vaccinators was that a vial should be utilised fully immediately after it was opened.Only healthy cattle could be vaccinated. Cows that are pregnant and young calves were spared. In such cases, the teams adopted a strategy of vaccinating the rest of the animals in the vicinity to reduce the chances of infection. “Our work was similar to tackling a forest fire. Normally, we will try to stop the approaching fire by removing inflammable things and plants on the way. We tried to stem the infection by creating a belt between the infected areas and our districts,” said Dr Singh, who was in regular touch with the vaccination team.As per the official data, only 55 of the total 539 villages in Shahjahanpur district reported the disease. Moreover, there were no cattle deaths as all 103 infected cows recovered. Dr Devki Nandan, a private veterinary practitioner in Deva block of Barabanki district, said, “If vaccination is done beforehand and systematically, the disease can be controlled to a great extent with 80% chances of recovery. Once you follow the protocol, isolate the infected animals and take precautions, it is easy to check the spread. Barabanki saw only a few cases and no deaths.” Cover photo - To control the spread of LSD, the Animal Husbandry Department aimed at vaccinating 2 lakh animals daily, which was scaled up to 4 lakh later (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Edited by Tanya Shrivastava

A mix of tradition, conservation makes tree weddings in UP villages unique

People come together, irrespective of religion, caste and class, to donate and participate in the janeu ceremony of trees Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh: If you want to see the interdependent and nurturing relationship between trees and humans, these villages in Uttar Pradesh are the places to go.In districts of Sitapur, Saharanpur and Kasganj, trees are considered a part of the family. They are raised as sons and daughters and are celebrated through janeu (a rite of passage in some sections of Hindu community) and their marriages are organised with full pomp and show.The villagers believe that if trees are married, they will thrive and their ‘family’ will grow rapidly, besides producing more fruits. Such rituals indirectly promote environmental conservation.(Left) The banyan tree at its janeu ceremony, which symbolises a rite of passage in some Hindu communities; (Centre, Right) The 'bride' and the mango 'groom'(Sourced by: Ramji Mishra) Explaining the idea behind these ceremonies, Anirudh Awasthi, who attended the janeu of a banyan tree in Bramhavali village of Sitapur district five months ago, tells 101Reporters, “Trees provide us with oxygen. We cannot live without it. They are a part of our family. They are everything to us, which is why we celebrate them.”Once the tree’s janeu ceremony is over, it is worshipped in villages. “The rituals performed are the same as the ones practised for humans. During the ceremony, the tree is clothed and a sacred thread is tied around it. Everyone participates wholeheartedly,” says Awasthi (35).Children are fed barua (a sweet prepared with buttermilk and rice). Traditionally, girls are offered food first, after which the entire village eats together. Usually, banyan and amla trees are selected for the janeu ceremony. “Banyan is the national tree of our country. It spreads outwards indefinitely, has medicinal properties and survives for generations. The tree is very important to us and its protection is our responsibility. We even hold programmes to underscore its importance. Though it does not bear fruits, banyan is an environmentally-vital species. This is why the villagers came together for the janeu ceremony,” says Rangnath Pandey (60).Anil Kumar Mishra of Ashokpur village in Kasganj district officiated the marriage between a mango groom and jamun bride in neighbouring Binpur village last year. “I officiated another wedding in my village about 30 years ago. The tree is considered a child. Once married, the family does not consume its fruits. Instead, they donate the tree so that others in the community can enjoy its fruits.” The children are fed barua (a sweet prepared with buttermilk and rice) on the day of the janeu ceremony (Sourced by: Ramji Mishra)Everything that you would expect in a human wedding happens at the tree wedding. A procession is taken out, and the entire event lasts for about four to five hours. Typically, a fruit-bearing tree like mango is selected for the wedding so that the person to whom it is donated gets the fruits.The ceremony also forms an emotional bond, as no human will harm a tree that was nurtured like a child.Kirti Bhushan Trivedi (45) of Bramhavali village says the tradition has been a part of village lifestyle for generations. “My grandmother also held a tree wedding. If seen from a social point, the practice encourages the concept of brotherhood. You donate a tree you planted to someone else. In addition, when children see us serving trees, they also grow up to do the same.”Couples, one-by-one, taking part in rituals of the janeu ceremony of banyan tree. (Sourced by: Ramji Mishra)The thing about such events is that it brings people together, irrespective of religion, caste and class. “The only religion is the religion of planting trees,” says Mishra, adding that tree weddings can happen anywhere and anyone can participate; the only thing that everyone must believe in is the need to conserve environment.Trivedi says he spent Rs 2,000, excluding the cost incurred on a feast, for the janeu ceremony of a banyan tree. “People also donate money to organise the event. Since it is an expensive affair, such events are not held widely in villages. But whenever it happens, they step forward and participate,” he says.During the event, new clothes, mor (groom's headgear) and ornaments are placed around the ‘groom’. For the ‘bride’, lipstick, bangles, bindi, saree and jewellery are kept beneath the tree.  The baraat goes through the village, after which they sit and eat together.A mood of celebration prevails as the social and cultural programme progresses, thriving on the love for nature.  Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaThe cover image is from a janeu ceremony in Sitapur, where the priest is performing rituals. Photo sourced by Ramji Mishra.