Jhum Smoke Causing Flight Cancellations in Mizoram

Aizawl, Mar 16 : Many jhummia families in Mizoram today torched their jhums on the last day for burning of the jhums as fixed by the State Government while forest fires broke out in many places.

Officials estimated that around half of the cultivators were yet to burn their jhums till yesterday due to sporadic rainfall during the past two and half months and also due to late disbursement of money to the beneficiaries of the New Land Use Policy (NLUP), the flagship programme of the Congress Government as the farmers cleared their lands belatedly and were not dry enough for burning earlier.

Jhum burning not only resulted in destruction of forests and increase in pollution, it also caused frequent cancellations of flights in the lone Lengpui Airport as smoke created massive problems in landing of the aircrafts.

Authorities instructed the jhummias to burn their jhums after 3 pm every day to ensure smooth operation of flights in the State this time around.