India, Sept. 30 -- Saffron farmers in Kashmir's Pampore tehsil say rats attracted by a nearby landfill are destroying the underground corms of their prized crop.

Farmers in Patalbagh village have abandoned saffron cultivation or switched to less profitable crops as rodent infestations spread.

Residents estimate that around 120 hectares of farmland across Patalbagh and neighbouring villages have been affected.

Farmers say repeated protests and appeals to local authorities have failed to resolve the problem.

While municipal officials say the land was allocated for waste disposal, the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee has described the landfill as illegal and said it is investigating the matter.

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