Dear all
I had covered this story three years ago.posting here for perusalof all
SudhirMishra/Bolangir
Mahul flowers’ natural fall declines in State
FRIDAY, 06 APRIL 2012 23:49
SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR
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The livelihood of thousands of poor villagers in Balangir and other districts in western Odisha stands threatened due to decline in natural fall of Mahul flower this year. The reduction in Mahul trees due to indiscriminate felling has added insult to injury.
Mahul flower is found mostly in western parts of Odisha and in the KBK region. It is a source of livelihood for millions of poor people who collect the flower in early morning strewn under the Mahul trees. They earn their livelihood three to four months in a year by selling the Mahul flower. However, the decline in fall of Mahul flower this year has been a cause of concern for these people. It is attributed to irregularities in the climate.
“Last year, there was heavy fall of Mahua flowers in our village. However, this year the quantity of the flowers fallen has come down,” says Pitambar Rana of Budha Bahal village.
“We start collection of Mahul flowers in early morning, which continues till noon. After collecting, we dry them for around four days in the sun and then sell them off. It is either the businessman or his agents who collect the flowers from us. On an average, a day’s hard work gives us `100-120,” Pitambar says further. Earlier, there were a large number of trees in our villages and the number has come down in recent years, he rues.
Mahul flowers fall naturally on the soil. But this year, we are experiencing peculiar weather situation. These days we are experiencing heat in the day and cold at night. The chill of the night is affecting the fall of Mahul flowers, Lambodar Mahakur, a village youth says.
The number of Mahul trees in our village has also come down in our villages. Now there are around 290 Mahul trees. We have allotted it to 25 poor villagers who survive by collecting and selling it for two to three months. And the villagers contribute a token of money to the village fund which is utilised for community development, emergency medical expense and in the local festival Ramlila, which the villagers have been celebrating for last 37years, says Achyutananda Mishra of Budhabahal village.
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