Team Goemkarponn
CORTALIM: In a major step towards reviving agriculture and supporting local farmers, the long-pending drainage system improvement works were officially launched at Cortalim on Friday. The project, taken up through the Water Resources Department (WRD), aims to desilt and strengthen the main drainage line passing through the farmlands, ultimately benefiting over 245 tenant farmers in the constituency.
Cortalim MLA Anton Vas, who launched the project in the presence of panchayat members, farmers, and WRD officials, said the initiative is being implemented in phases and is crucial for the agricultural revival of the region.
“This drainage line connects the Sontrant area and runs through key farmlands. Over the last two years, crop yield had drastically reduced due to poor drainage and water stagnation. As both the MLA and Chairman of the Cortalim Communidade Tenants Association, I took this up as a priority,” Vas told reporters.
“In the first phase, we will desilt the entire stretch and construct retaining walls along the drainage at a cost of Rs 76 lakh. The second phase has already been tendered and will follow immediately after. Together, both phases will cover a 2-kilometre stretch of the drainage system,” he added.
Vas expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar for approving the project.
“Their support was instrumental in getting this project off the ground, which directly and indirectly benefits nearly 1,000 people.”
Explaining the challenges faced by farmers, Vas said, “Machinery used in the fields was frequently getting stuck in the muck because the drainage wasn’t desilted. Water from the farms had nowhere to go as the levels of the drainage and farmlands had equalised, causing widespread waterlogging.”
He also highlighted how infrastructural developments had contributed to the problem. “Earlier, the entire area was cultivated by two families. Now, it’s divided into four due to the Konkan Railway and the four-lane national highway, which has obstructed natural water flow,” he said.
Vas further informed that WRD has provided new fibre sluice gates to help regulate water levels and that discussions are underway for further improvements.
“We’re planning to connect all water bodies in the area and extend drainage works to regions near the Cortalim market complex. We’re also offering farming machinery free of cost through the Cortalim Farmers Club, but unless drainage issues are resolved, the equipment remains unusable.”
The works are expected to be completed within a month.
