| Summary: | Bamboo is a versatile non-timber forest product (NTFP) with a wide range of domestic, commercial and industrial uses. Bamboos account for 12.8 percent approximately of the total forest cover in India. The North-Eastern Hill (NEH) region harbors more than 66 percent of the Indian bamboo genetic resources. Out of 125 bamboo sp. available in India, 8.4 taxa are found in NEH region. Mizoram occupies the largest forest area (30.8%) under different bamboo species, followed by Meghalaya with 26.0 percent.The gregarious bamboo flowering of Melocanna bacciferaor Mautam occurs periodically after every 48±1 years and causes ecological imbalance in NEH region comprising seven contiguous states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland. Bamboo plants die after flowering and fruiting, leaving bare and exposed soil, which is disastrous in mountainous states. Secondly, rodents feed on the flowers and seeds of the dying bamboo, leading to a rapid growth in their numbers, which migrate toward agricultural fields, granaries and destroy standing crops and stored grains. The destruction of crops results in food scarcity and famine. The epidemiological imbalance also leads to increased risk of infection in man and animals or outbreak of rodent-borne diseases. The modes of transmission are through rat bite, insect vector bites, fleas and other ecto-parasites or contamination of food, water and air by rodent urine or excreta. Some of these diseases require immediate control measures to minimize the morbidity and mortality in local inhabitants.From historical or scientific records, it is believed that masting of Mau bamboo-M. baccifera occurred across north-eastern India in 1815, 1863, 1911, and 1959. A Melocanna masting event occurred on schedule in Mizoram in 2006-09. The crops suffered massive damage, with yields at 30 year low.It was reported that spontaneous increase in rodent population due to high nutritive value of bamboo fruits, reduction in cannibalism due to the availability of plenty of food during bamboo flowering and change in the ecological conditions resulting in ‘r’-pattern of rodent breeding might be the probable reasons for the rodent outbreaks.The rodent fauna of the Indian sub-continent is represented by 46 genera and 128 species. Out of 18 commensal rodents, Rattus rattus is the most predominant species. In NEH region, Rattus spp. forms about 45% of the total rodent population (specially, R. nitidus-24.51%) followed by Mus spp. (16.9% M. musculus) and Bandicota bengalensis (lesser bandicoot rat) about 31.5%. Rodents responsible for famine in the years of bamboo flowering are R. rattus, R. nitidlis, R. niviventer and R. r. brunnellsculus.Mizoram was under threat during bamboo flowering because Myanmar-a high risk area for transmission of plague, salmonellosis being endemic in Mizoram with frequent food poisoning outbreaks, gastroenteritis being second leading health problem indicates unsafe food and drinking practices. Higher attitudes and practices of people towards rodents including consumption of their flesh, difficult terrains and inaccessible remote or interior villages with poor health facilities were the real threats for the transmission of rodent-borne diseases.The state had prepared a series of Bamboo Flowering and Famine Combat Schemes (BAFFACOS) in 2005 for inter-sectoral coordination with various departments like agriculture, health, rural works and public works. A central team of rodent and rodent-borne disease experts from CAZRI, Jodhpur; NIPHM, Hyderabad and National Centre for Disease Control, Plague Surveillance Unit, Bangalore, visited Mizoram several times during 2006-2009 for making on the spot assessment, to demonstrate rodent pest management and surveillance, prevention and control of rodent-borne diseases in the region and to train the workers involved in surveillance and control works.
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