Rat killing drive

11 October 2009, 17:00 PM

Bss, Joypurhat

The agri-experts at a function here have said that rats destroy about 20 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrains in the country every year. Around 17,000 metric tonnes of foodgrains were saved last year by killing 35,000 rats in the district. They said this on Wednesday at the inaugural function of Rat Killing Drive-2009 jointly organised by Sadar upazila and district Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) offices in the auditorium of Sadar Upazila Parishad in the town. Vice principal of Joypurhat Government College Prof Toufiqur Rahman was present at the function as the chief guest. The experts urged all, particularly the DAE officials, to motivate the farmers at field level to kill the rats spontaneously to save the foodgrains produced through hard work and to help the government achieve food security. Later, the chief guest formally inaugurated the rat killing drive in the district by killing a rat at the function. A large number of farmers and agriculture officers took part in the function.