6.070 hecatres of rubber replanted in 2004 with
RRII.105 belonging to me in Kokkayar village near Koottickkal bordering
Kottayam and Idukki districts of Kerala in South India has been affected by corynespora leaf disease since 2010. It was confirmed two years ago
by the Department of pathology, Rubber
Research Institute of India,
after examining leaf samples.
On recommendation from the RRII I sprayed 56% COC mixed in rubber spray oil in
the ratio 1:5 in February 2010 and again in February 2011. Thankfully during
2011 there was no incidence of the disease probably due to unfavorable weather
conditions for the spread of its spores.
However with the favorable weather conditions this
year the disease has again reared its ugly head. As per the recommendation of
RRII and visit by Dy. Rubber Production Commissioner, Kanjirappally, it was
decided to spray COC + rubber spray oil on 4th February taking into
consideration the maturity of the refoliation.
As soon as we started spraying
a group of people from the neighborhood shouting slogans entered the estate and
threatened the laborers with dire consequence if they continued with the
spraying. No amount of reasoning with them that this is a harmless fungicide
and not any harmful insecticide would mollify them.
After the needless ‘Endosulphan controversy’ every
spraying is deemed to be ‘Endosulphan’ for the obstructionist Keralites / Malayalis!! I approached the Sub Inspector of Police Peruvanthanam
with a complaint that I am not allowed to conduct important spraying operations
and showed him the relevant pages from the ‘Rubber magazine’ regarding spraying
for corynespora. He refused to interfere in the matter saying that he cannot do
anything if a mob objected and directed me to the Agricultural officer,
Kokkayar under escort of two police constables and asked me to get sanction
from the Agricultural officer for continuation of spraying.
Thankfully the Agricultural officer was present in
the office even though it was a Saturday. After listening to my plight the
Agricultural officer along with the two police men accompanied me to the estate
and explained the harmlessness of spraying COC mixed in Spray oil to the gang.
One so called ‘learned individual’ pointed to the “Keep out of reach of
Children” and ‘Antidote’ marked on the 13kg COC bag and objected to its spraying,
declaring that it is poison!!
It took a lot of explanation on the part of the
Agricultural officer and the accompanying police men about the ‘statutory
warning’ printed on the bags to persuade that particular person to agree to
continue with the spraying.
This is the third year in succession that different
civil authorities are rushing to the estate on complaint from these antisocial elements.
If in 2010 the Kokkayar Village officer came inspecting after receiving
complaints, last year it was the turn of the Kokkayar Panchayat officials and
police men from Peruvanthanam Police Station to come enquiring based on telephonic
complaints.
If this goes on we will have to take prior sanction
of the Agricultural officer every year before commencement of spraying, twice
every year if I have to spray for corynespora too in addition to pre monsoon
spraying.
The Rubber board should take out large colour advertisements in
vernacular press including ‘Deshabhimani’ the mouth piece of Marxist Communist
party clearly showing workers spraying with micron sprayers and mist blowers
and informing the public that it is an harmless and unavoidable agricultural
operation in rubber plantations.
