A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The COVID-19 pandemic has not only led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide, but also presented an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and the world of work. During the adverse situation of the pandemic and the lockdown, a number of enterprises of the State have faced an existential threat.
The workforce is at risk of losing their livelihood. Informal economy workers have turned particularly vulnerable because the majority of them lack social protection and access to quality health care and they have lost access to productive assets. The agricultural workers – waged and self-employed - have regularly face high levels of working poverty and suffer from a lack of safety and labour protection.
Amid such a critical situation, the Muga silkworm cultivators of Dhakuakhana subdivision under Lakhimpur district have shown a ray of hope by producing Muga worth more than a lakh of rupees. Among them are Pramod Dutta, a retired teacher, who is potent enough to earn much profit by rearing three batches of Muga in the current season.
Notably, Pramod Dutta reared the three batches of Muga silkworm in a chomani (the place where Muga silkworms are reared) covering seven bighas of land by the side of River Korha under Pachim Dhakuakhana. With the cultivation of the Muga, retired teacher Pramod Dutta is not only profiting alone, but he has also paved way for employment and livelihood to three families of the neighbouring area. Under the leadership of the retired teacher, Tilendra Dutta of Maj-Jalbhari village, Jyoti Prashad Gohain of Kathorbari village and Joychandra Baruah of Borpatra village have also earned much profit by cultivating Muga.
Notably, in addition to other circumstances, the profit in Muga cultivation depends upon the luck of the cultivators too because they have to take a lot of risks to get a good harvest of the Muga. They have to pass a hard time from the beginning to the end of the Muga cultivation. However, the weather of Dhakuakhana this year has turned favourable for Jethua Muga (the batch of Muga silkworms which is reared during the month of Jeth of Assamese calendar and May-June in Gregorian calendar) cultivation.
While visiting his Muga rearing place (chomani), Pramod Dutta said, "We have been rearing Muga silkworms on 550 Chom trees (Persea bombycina) during the current season. This year the larvae have grown up well. They have started to become pupa at present. We expect that we will harvest more than a lakh of Muga coocoons from this batch." The retired teacher has gained public appreciation by setting an example of diligence even after his retirement and for paving way for earning livelihood for at least three families while overcoming the situational odds.