RAIGANJ, April 3: Sericulture in Hemtabad of North Dinajpur district was affected adversely after a large number of mulberry plants were destroyed by hail that continued here throughout Tuesday night.
A good number of silk worms have died due to lack of food. The sericulture authorities at Hemtabad fear series financial loss from the disaster.
It was learnt that the department was rearing around 1 lakh silkworms and it was in the first stage when the worms need a huge volume of feed. With the bushes lost to hail, the worms are pracrtically dying of hunger.
The in-charge of Hemtabad Sericulture Extension office Mr Sandip Barman said that the department had plans to shift the silk worms to a farm house at Soharoi in Raiganj. “The hail and the subsequent death of the worms have upset all our plans,” lamented the helpless official.