Coffee Board takes tech route to help growers boost yield

June 4, 2019Agriculture, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinionadmin

App-solutely smart: In the case of white stem borer, growers and the Board have validated 90% accuracy. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Apps fed with data help forecast weather, predict leaf rust

For the 3.5 lakh coffee growers in India, 98% of whom are small-scale, challenges affecting production include labour shortage, climate change and pest attacks.

One way to manage these is by adopting technology, which the Coffee Board is trying to bring about for the growers.

Last year, Eka Software Solutions took up a pilot project for the Coffee Board of India on machine-learning based applications. According to Shuchi Nijhawan, vice president – agri business for Eka Software, the Board and the company took up three areas to try machine learning based apps. One was addressing the white stem borer problem, another was weather forecasting, and the third, predicting leaf rust.

Machine-learning

“Based on the data, photos provided, we created a machine learning algorithm to forecast each of these issues (for a grower). We worked with 20 liaison officers of the Board and they coordinated with the growers.

“The success of the app depends on the data fed in. In the case of white stem borer, the growers and the Board have validated 90% accuracy,” she says. Eka’s digital platform for agriculture aggregates data from different sources and applies the algorithm to provide insight to the coffee growers.

Srivatsa Krishna, chairman of the Coffee Board, adds that though there is no exact data, it is learnt that in the last 10 to 15 years white stem borer would have brought down Arabica production by 25-30%. “The growers do need solutions for such issues.”

“Despite the Coffee Act having been around for more than seven decades, farmers have zero technology. The only way to increase productivity is by bringing in technology,” he says. Even before smartphones became popular, coffee growers had checked prices on the London and New York exchanges almost on a daily basis.

Hence, adopting technology should not be difficult for them. The Board has plans to scale up the analytics technology for adoption by more farmers.

Currently, 90% of the estates depend on labourers for most of the work and there is not much technology adoption among coffee growers in cultivation or to increase production.

“If someone is ready to do it [technology] for us, we will adopt it. It will help increase yield,” says Sundar Subramanium, executive director of Mother Mirra Coffee Plantations. Ms. Nijhawan says the company is exploring partnerships for other crops too. “Indian farmers want such technology services. There are several agriculture institutes and cooperatives in the country that have a lot of data. I see a huge potential for these technologies.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Business> Industry> Green Shoots / by M Soundariya Preetha / June 02nd, 2019

Diddahalli tribals get new abode as 338 houses are ready

June 2, 2019Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, Alladmin

New beginnings: The houses built for the displaced tribal people of Diddahalli forest in Kodagu district.

Each house has been built on a 30×40 sq. ft plot at a cost of ₹4.70 lakh; total cost of the project is ₹39.27 crore

Residential colonies coming up in Kodagu for displaced tribals of Diddahalli forests are being developed as ‘model settlements’, putting across facilities usually found in layouts developed in cities, such as well-laid roads, piped water supply, and CCTV surveillance.

The tribals relocated from Diddahalli forests in Virajpet taluk in the district have been provided shelter in the newly-constructed settlements at Basavanahalli and Byadagotta villages in Somawarpet taluk, with the State government coming forward to build individual houses for the families. Each house has been built on 30×40 sq.ft. plot and the project is nearing completion with only a few houses remaining to be built besides establishing essential facilities.

Out of 528 houses proposed for construction, 338 houses had been completed and some families have already shifted to their new dwelling. The construction began two years ago, according to C. Shivakumar, Project Coordinator, Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP).

Kodagu Nirmithi Kendra has built each house at a cost of ₹4.70 lakh. The total cost of the project is ₹39.27 crore. So far, ₹21.76 crore had been released to the Nirmithi Kendra for having completed the construction of 338 houses, he told The Hindu.

The Nirmithi Kendra has taken up works like the installation of water tanks for each house, laying of pipelines, covering drainages with stone slabs, construction of parks and fencing, and installation of surveillance cameras at a cost of ₹2.72 crore.

At both Basavanahalli and Byadagotta, a sum of ₹8 crore was being spent on construction of roads, drainages, septic tanks, UGD lines, culverts, overhead tank, and anganwadi kendras besides establishing electricity connection and water distribution lines to every house.

Out of 174 houses in Basavanahalli, 138 houses had been completed. Byadagotta will have about 354 houses. There are about 84 temporary dwellings which will be making way for the construction of permanent houses consisting of a living room, a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and other facilities.

Survey identifies 3,000 tribal families

A joint survey by the authorities of various departments in Kodagu has identified around 3,000 tribal families, mostly Yeravas and Jenukurubas, living in various plantations in the district.

The survey was done to collate information on the number of tribal families living outside the forests and working in plantations, which are in need of dwelling.

The survey was done by a committee comprising representatives from the Departments of Revenue, Police, Labour, Tribal Welfare and Public Instruction.

Children admitted to residential schools

Away from the accustomed schooling in government-run ashram schools, tribal children in Kodagu have an opportunity to pursue an education in government-run residential schools – Morarji Desai Residential School and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.

The authorities of Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) persuaded the tribal families in the district and their children appeared for the entrance examination to these schools.

As many as 53 tribal children have been selected for Morarji Desai Schools in Madikeri, Somwarpet and Virajpet areas. Two children from tribal settlements have made it to the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Madikeri.

“This is perhaps the first time that tribal children from the areas wrote the entrance examination and a few of them got selected. Now the challenge is to persuade their parents to complete the admission process since many are reluctant to send their wards to schools outside their settlement,” said C. Shivakumar, Project Coordinator, ITDP.

Most of the children selected for the residential schools belong to the primitive tribes. There are 11 ashram schools in the district.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – June 02nd, 2019

University of Hyderabad professor awarded

June 1, 2019Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

HIGHLIGHTS
Dr Sowmya Dechamma C C, Associate Professor at the centre for comparative literature, University of Hyderabad (UoH) has been awarded the Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship for the year 2019-2020.

Hyderabad:

Dr Sowmya Dechamma C C, Associate Professor at the centre for comparative literature, University of Hyderabad (UoH) has been awarded the Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship for the year 2019-2020.

She will be hosted by the Department of Comparative Literature, Queens College, The City University of New York where she will teach a course on “Modern Indian Literary Cultures” and work on her research project “Understanding the Modern: Of Oralities and Languages”.

Dr Sowmya Dechamma’s Fulbright proposal aims to look at how and in what ways issues concerning languages spill-over and charge other spheres of our lives. By foregrounding minority languages (specifically Kodava language) and its relationships with major languages (Kannada and English), the project seeks to understand the nature of modern for speakers of minority languages.

Emerging from this concern around the modern is the course she plans to teach – “Modern Indian Literary Cultures”. Her research and teaching aim to investigate the notions of modern that emerge through these texts; the manner in which they are connected to ideas of community and of region, nation; Ways in which texts engage with the constant presence of oralities in their own cultures; and what acts of writing tell us about the cultures written about.

source: http://www.thehansindia.com / The Hans India / Home> Hans> Young Hans / by Hans News Service / May 31st, 2019

Check safety parameters before construction, residents told

May 31, 2019Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environmentadmin

A file photo of the houses being constructed in Kodagu as part of the rehabilitation efforts. Some families are keen to build houses at their place of choice or the original site. | Photo Credit: SpecialArrangement

Kodagu administration holds interaction with families that are not keen to move into houses being built by government.

Residents, whose houses were destroyed in last year’s landslips in Kodagu and are keen to reconstruct on the original site or a place of their choice, have been advised to ascertain if the place is safe for reconstruction.

The Kodagu district administration on Thursday held an interactive meeting with 54 such families who were not keen to move into the houses constructed by the government as part of its rehabilitation efforts.

The families were keen to build the houses at their place of choice or the original site. The government is chipping in with ₹9.85 lakh per house which is also the cost of each unit constructed by the government.

Additional Deputy Commissioner P. Shivaraj said many families had lost their houses during the calamity last year, all of whom were being rehabilitated. “But there are 54 families who wanted to build the houses on their own for which ₹2 lakh per family had been released in the first phase.”

He said the construction should be as per the specifications of the government and the beneficiaries should first ascertain if the site was suitable for construction. The balance amount would be released in a phase-wise manner based on the progress of work.

Assistant Commissioner T. Javare Gowda said the house should be at least 5.75 squares and the plot should be in the name of the beneficiary. He said the construction should follow the specified quality norms and clearance from the respective gram panchayats would be procured within a week.

However, the residents seeking to construct their own houses categorically stated that it would not be possible to complete the construction within the next four months as sought by the officials. With the onset of monsoon just a week away construction work was bound to be affected and hence the residents sought additional time for completing the construction.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Corrrespondent / Mysuru – May 31st, 2019

Anxiety is a positive emotion before any tournament, says Robin Uthappa

May 31, 2019Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sportsadmin

Robin Uthappa, who endured a tough season with Kolkata Knight Riders in the recently concluded IPL, said that anxiety acts as a motivator ahead of the start of any major tournament. KKR failed to make the play-off stage this season as they lost their do-or-die encounter against Mumbai Indians.

The recent Indian Premier League (IPL) ended with Mumbai Indians picking up their fourth title as they beat Chennai Super Kings in the final by one run. Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai made their way to the final after they beat Kolkata Knight Riders in their final league match at the Wankhede Stadium. However, things would have been different for Dinesh Karthik & Co. had they beaten Mumbai in that match. Had they done so, it would have been them who secured the fourth spot instead of Sunrisers Hyderabad who made the cut.

KKR’s Robin Uthappa, who had a tough outing with the Kolkata-based side this year, said that anxiety has an important role to play before the start of any tournament.

“Before the last game… I got to be honest, I did feel pretty anxious, (but) it’s quite a good feeling. It’s got to be anxiety. If you are nervous, then may be you are not prepared well enough. If it is anxiety, then it’s a positive emotion that precedes a tournament,” Uthappa said in a recent interview with The Telegraph.

The former Indian middle-order batsman further opened up about his preparation phase before the start of a typical IPL season.

“All of that becomes a lifestyle, honestly. I pretty much work out every day. The hours depend on how the body is feeling. We don’t go crazy working hard. Working smart is also a critical thing, understanding your body, how much recovery is required… all these aspects play a huge role in training.

“You are a cognisant of all these aspects and you train accordingly. Sometimes you train for an hour and hour-and-a-half, sometimes it goes on for a few hours and sometimes just 45 minutes, just a top-up on all that you have done. Sometimes you are feeling good, but you are also sore. So, you pop in and out of the gym for a 20-minute-half-an-hour session.

“Primarily, it is a combination of speed, endurance and strength. Cricket is a start-stop kind of sport. Today the sport is moving towards the power aspect of the game. You want to keep in mind those aspects as well,” Uthappa added.

source: http://www.sportscafe.com / SportsCafe / Home> Cricket> National> News / by SportsCafe Desk / May 22nd, 2019

Hundreds submit pleas at Parihara Adalat

May 31, 2019Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, Alladmin

Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy checks the applications received during the Parihara Adalat in Madikeri on Monday.

Hundreds of people affected by the natural calamity in Kodagu last year took part in the Parihara Adalat and submitted their pleas to the district administration on Monday.

The Parihara Adalat was organised by the district administration to respond to the grievances of natural calamity victims.

The adalat will be held for three days on the second floor of the assistant commissioner’s office auditorium in the district administration complex in Madikeri.

On Monday, hundreds of people enrolled their names.

Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy said that the district administration has dispensed 90% compensation to those who have lost their livestock, crops and homes. If anyone is left out, they will be provided with the compensation through the adalat.

The details of compensation have been put up on the website http://parihara.karnataka.gov.in

If the compensation amount has not reached the beneficiaries, such people may furnish their grievances to the district administration during the adalat to be held till May 29.

Many fields and plantations were filled with silt as a result of the natural calamity. A large number of crops were also damaged. Owners of the fields can also claim compensation during the Parihara Adalat.

The compensation amount provided by the government will be credited to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. The owners of the houses which were completely damaged were added in the first list and the names of those whose houses are found in vulnerable areas were added in the second list, the DC said and added that the rent allowance for the victims who lost their houses, from November 2018 has been directly credited to the bank accounts of the victims.

Assistant Commissioner T Jawaregowda and Tahsildar Natesh were present.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / May 27th, 2019

Full-time national coach need of the hour: Joshna Chinappa

May 31, 2019Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sportsadmin

After reaching the pre-quarterfinal at the British Open last week, Joshna Chinappa opened up on her rivalry with Dipika Pallikal, problems with the national coaching setup and her plans for 2019 in an interview.

From being top 10 in the world in 2016, to winning the 2014 Commonwealth Games women’s squash doubles gold with Dipika Pallikal and being one of the few on tour to beat the top three in women’s singles, Joshna Chinappa’s career has been on an upswing since she turned pro 15 years back.

Earlier this month, the 32-year-old won the singles title at the Asian Championships in Kuala Lumpur to become the first Indian to win two continental crowns and retain the title she won at Chennai in 2017 by beating Pallikal.

After reaching the pre-quarterfinal at the British Open last week, she opened up on her rivalry with Pallikal, problems with the national coaching setup and her plans for 2019 in an interview. Excerpts:

You are the first Indian to defend and win two Asian Championship titles.

It feels great to have won the Asian Championship again. It was a good week in Kuala Lumpur, especially travelling with the team. On the professional tour it’s usually just me so it was nice to have the whole team, including physiotherapist Dimple and Harry (Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu) be there to support us.

Your opponent in the final, Annie Au, has a strong record against you. How satisfying was it to beat her for the first time since 2017?

Annie is tough to play against, mentally and physically. I had lost to her three times so it was extremely satisfying to win the final.

Sandhu was courtside when Saurav Ghosal and you won the Asian titles. Your thoughts on banking on fellow players for advice instead of a coach…

Harry is a player and has experienced what we as professional players go through and understands the game well. So having him was helpful. At most of my tournaments we help each other because we don’t have a full-time coach travelling with us. As Harry is injured (and out) of the tour, he was happy to come with the team and it is great SRFI (Squash Rackets Federation of India) chose to send him with us.

There’s been a controversy regarding coach, Cyrus Poncha. SRFI say he was in Malaysia. The players deny which is why they had to help each other during matches.

Harry, as coach, and our physiotherapist were the only officials who travelled with us.

What are the challenges of not having a chief national coach?

I work with my coach, Hadrian Stiff, in Bristol, England, so I keep going as often as I can to train there. Also, I train at the squash academy in Chennai. The coaches at the academy are helpful, but it would be great to have an experienced coach based here or even a part-time coach work with the juniors and seniors. I hope we can get a coach to travel with us on the pro tour as it makes a huge difference to have someone in our corner, helping us in-between games.

How do you view your rivalry with Pallikal? You have a better record (7-2) against her.

We have a healthy rivalry on court and when I play her it’s like playing any other player I compete with on the professional tour.

You have beaten the top-three players (all Egyptians) in the world at least once but lost to players ranked below you.

Competition is extremely high in the women’s game. Everyone is working hard and is so fit and strong with high levels of skill. You have to be at the top of your game from Round 1.

Can Egypt’s domination in women’s squash be broken?

Egypt are extremely strong and I don’t see that changing soon.

What can be done to improve Indian squash?

We need more TV time and better infrastructure, which is monitored by quality coaches and trainers.

The disadvantages of squash not being an Olympic sport?

The development of the sport and financial support from the government and corporates would be a lot more if squash was an Olympic sport.

Your goals for 2019?

To be injury free and healthy.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Other Sports / by Sandip Sikdar, New Delhi / May 27th, 2019

Tata Coffee opens first freeze-dried production plant outside of India

May 29, 2019Business & Economy, Coffee News, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Tata Coffee has opened its first free-dried instant coffee plant outside of its native India after GEA, a tech supplier for food processing, completed work on the new Vietnam plant.

After Brazil, Vietnam is the world’s second largest producer of green coffee and the new plant based in Binh Duong Province produces 5,000 metric tonnes per year of free-dried coffee.

GEA supplied the entire production line from roast bean treatment right through to the packing of the freeze-dried powder.

This isn’t the first time GEA has undertaken work for Tata Coffee, having built a coffee extraction and evaporation plant for the company in 2013.

“This type of project is ideal for us at GEA because our expertise and scope of supply allows us to build the entire coffee line using our own resources,” said Kim Knudsen, Head of Sales, Coffee and Freeze Drying at GEA.

“This means we can maintain control and take responsibility for the entire project from start to finish.”

source: http://www.fdiforum.net / Food & Drink International / Home> Production / by Dominic Cuthbert / May 28th, 2019

Lest We Forget Their Sacrifice-1 : The Story Of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa

May 29, 2019Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinionadmin

Leader, Commander, Benevolent Father to his children and a guiding beacon that led an entire nation and her armed forces — Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Army. He was to his men the epitome of gentlemanly conduct and selflessness. His ideals still hold sway in the Indian Military Establishment. His greatest gift to the Indian People, probably was a fighting force that was no less compared to any other in the world and yet had the commendable restraint that prevented the Army from ever meddling directly in the political machinations of the country. This delineation lent a sense of integrity and unique purpose to the Military Establishment that has held it in good stead all these years. The credit for this must go to K.M. Cariappa. May 15, 2019 was his 26th Death Anniversary and it would indeed be a good time for a look back on his life and events…

By Dr. S.N. Bhagirath

On the 28th of January, 1899 the residents of Shanivarasanthe in Coorg heard a shot fired from the revenue quarters heralding the birth of a baby boy. The boy’s parents were Kodandera Madappa and Ammayya. He was the second among six children and was fondly called ‘Chimma.’ Madappa was a Sub-divisional Magistrate in Shanivarasanthe at that time. Chimma would one day command the Indian Army in Independent India and play definitive roles in WW-II and wars with Pakistan soon after Independence. He nurtured an Army that has stood the test of time. Till the very end of his life, he dedicated to the Army, a spirit of camaraderie and patriotism which remains legendary to this day.

Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa stuck to one particular daily habit — he would get up every morning, finish his ablutions and before his breakfast, walk up to the fire place by his bed side to render his salute to three things lined up there — the two photographs of his mother and father and a small silver statue of the unknown Indian Soldier! Like a true gentleman he sat for breakfast wearing a full suit, often alone.

K.M. Cariappa had his schooling at Madikeri. His English teachers C. Rensford and W.H. Whiteworth made quite an impression on the young Cariappa and imbibed British values in him. He was fond of playing Cricket and Hockey. In 1918, he went to Presidency College at Madras for his graduate studies. On his return to Coorg, there was an ongoing recruitment for the post of “Commissioned Officers” for the Army. Chief Commissioner Cobb was impressed by K.M. Cariappa and selected him over others.

Cariappa joined ‘Daley Cadet College’ on June 1, 1918. His first posting was in the 88th Carnatic Infantry (2nd Battalion) wherefrom he was transferred to 125 Napier Rifles. This regiment was stationed at Mesopotamia (Iraq) for two years. At the end of two years, he was transferred to ‘Prince of Wales’ 37th Dogra Regiment, which was at that time stationed in Afghanistan. During these postings, Cariappa learnt and incorporated into his men the tricks of guerrilla warfare — a move that caught the attention of his British superiors which eventually resulted in his promotion to the post of Quartermaster. He is believed to have got the nick-name ‘Kipper’ around this time. This nickname was later adopted by Nehru and Indira Gandhi as well!

As a representative of the British Indian Army, K.M. Cariappa had the opportunity to visit and observe many other armies. While in Japan, he sadly lost his mother in India. Upon his return, his reputation as an able officer had begun to make rounds in the higher echelons of the British administration. He was entrusted with the onerous task of escorting Viceroy Lord Irwin to Madikeri on an official visit. Cariappa was just 24 years old ! By 1927, Cariappa was a Captain in the Army. Cariappa’s coaching at Royal United Services Institute in 1932 and his time at Small Arms School (SAS) and Royal School of Artillery (RSA) prepared him well enough to clear the Quetta Staff College Entrance Examination. In 1936, he was appointed as Staff Captain and in 1938 he was promoted to the rank of Major.

Personal Life

On his 37th birthday, he was sent back to India and was stationed at Hyderabad. In the same year, he got married to Muthu in a traditional Coorgi style wedding. He had his first child, a boy (Nanda Cariappa) in January of 1938. His daughter Nalini Cariappa was born in February of 1943. His tedious and hectic schedule and the constant transfers across the continent eventually took a toll on their marital life. The couple separated in 1946. After the separation, Cariappa took both his children (aged eight and three years) under his wings. He was ably assisted in this effort by his sister. A sudden transfer for Cariappa’s sister’s husband to Andaman & Nicobar Islands meant that he could no longer take care of both children by himself. He decided to send his daughter with his sister and retained his son with himself. In 1954, Cariappa learnt of the sad demise of his former wife Muthu in a car accident.

Professional Life

At the start of Second World War (1939), K.M. Cariappa was stationed in Iraq under General Slim in the Tenth Indian Division. By the end of 1939, Slim recommended Cariappa for the prestigious ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’ distinction. The next year (1940) saw Cariappa taking command of the Indian Divisions in Iran & Syria. In the succeeding decade, Cariappa became the first in Indian history to be offered the post of a ‘Commander.’ He took command of the ‘Rajput Machine Gun Battalion’ as acting Lieutenant Colonel in 1942. In 1943, the Japanese army occupied Burma and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. K.M. Cariappa was transferred to Calcutta (Eastern Command) to take back territories of Burma and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. His valour and able leadership at the height of Second World War earned him the ‘Order of the British Empire’ in 1944. Soon after World War II, he was promoted to the post of Brigadier.

[To be continued tomorrow]

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source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / May 29th, 2019

98 villages, 5 layouts among 105 eco-sensitive spots in Kodagu

May 28, 2019Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Natureadmin

Thousands of km of roads were damaged and connectivity was also hit.

A file photo of a major landslide which occurred in Kodagu last year.

Mysuru:

With hardly a week left for the South West Monsoon to hit Karnataka, the Geographical Survey of India (GIS) has identified 105 sensitive/vulnerable places in Kodagu including 98 villages and five layouts in Madikeri town and the entire Virajpet and Kushalnagar towns which are likely to be affected by heavy rains.

The Kodagu district administration has appointed 25 nodal officers and each nodal officer has been assigned the responsibility of a few areas to take elaborate precautionary measures to handle any emergency and ensure the safety of people, according to Kodagu DC Ms Annies Kanmani Joy.

She said the nodal officers are inspecting their areas and checking if emergency work has to be taken up. They are also identifying locations for shelter camps and the vulnerable population including sick and pregnant woman and the elderly who may have to be shifted. They have set up village level committees and are training people to coordinate with the district administration in case of an emergency, the Deputy Commissioner said.

She added that, special task forces are being formed by the police, fire and emergency services, CHESCOM, PWD, panchayatraj engineering department, NHAI, Pradhan Manthri Gram Sadak Yojana, minor and major irrigation dept, health, veterinary and forest departments to deal with any emergency.

During the South-West Monsoon last year, Kodagu was hit by floods and landslides due to the highest rains in 118 years. As many as 20 people died, 829 people lost their homes and 7,594 people were rescued and housed at 51 relief centres. A total 160 villages were affected and thousands of hectares of plantations and agricultural land were destroyed.