Tripura CM’s ‘quacker’ of an idea

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has come up with a quacker of an idea to boost the state’s rural economy – distribute ducks to villagers in the state.

Not only would the economy take wing, but ducks would provide additional benefits, he claimed, saying they recycle water and when they swim about in water, and it boosts the oxygen levels of water bodies. This would be a boost to fish in the water, and their numbers would increase, he explained.

Rearing ducks and poultry was an old Tripura village tradition, he said, which had taken a hit during the 25-year reign of his predecessor, the Left Front. Those rearing ducks need not worry about having land for the purpose, he pointed out. If every family reared a few ducks, it would take care of the family’s protein requirements, he said. Also, white ducklings would be a great tourist draw, so these would be distributed to villages near tourist spots.

However, rationalists in the state feel Deb’s theory of ducks boosting oxygen levels in water holds no water, as there is no scientific evidence to back this claim. A chief minister should know better than to make such remarks, they felt.

The state’s Congress leaders too, weighed in, saying such observations should be made only on the basis of sound evidence, as it impinges on the livelihood of the people.