BY SAMIR UMARYE
BICHOLIM: “They tell us to cultivate farms, promise us incentives but they always ignore our basic issues. How can we cultivate when our farm land is flooded with salty water? Why can’t they fine or punish the erring contractor?”
These are just few questions that were posed by farmers from Pilgao village in Bicholim taluka who are desperately waiting for the contractor to repair their Paain-Khazan sluice gate. The wait seem to be too long and since last four years these farmers have been running from pillar to the post for getting the work done.
Such has been their ordeal that even today when they visit the authorities what they get is only assurances and a further encouragement to cultivate their fields. But the authorities, who are hardly aware of the ground reality, keep mum on the contractor’s delay in repair of the sluice gate and the losses that these farmers suffer.
“There have been four year since the tender process was completed for this sluice gate. We have approached almost all the authorities including the mamletdar and what we have got is just the assurances. The contractor is not ready to repair the sluice gate and we have no clue as to why he is delaying it for so long. Can’t the contractor be fined or punished for our losses?”Bhanudas Parab Gaonkar questions.
Pilgao farms lies next to Sarmans river and has the problem of salty water entering the farms. The farmers claim that there are about 100 farmers but most of them have now abandoned these farms after suffering losses due to saline water entering their farm land.
Inspite of all odds there are few who have not budged and are still cultivating the farms. Purushottam Parab Gaonkar is one of them who claims that he has continued with farming eventhough he suffers losses. “Inspite of all odds we cultivate the farms but there is no profit. Our fields get flooded with salty water and it is only because of the sluice gate which is kept open.” Purushottom stated.
The farmers are surprised over the attitude of the contractor who has left the work incomplete. “He has tried to repair the side walls but did not install the doors of the sluice gate. We approached everyone but the contractor is still not ready to repair and complete the work.” Purushottom complained.
As per the farmers eventhough there are about 100 farmers very few cultivate the farms only because the sluice gate is not repaired. “We demand that these gates should be immediately installed so that all the fields could be cultivated.” He stated.
Another farmer, Anandi Pednekar had the same complaint and laments that since last three years they are continuously suffering losses.
“This field is very fertile and can give production throughout the year and many of the farmers still try to cultivate it but only in losses. We employ labourers and even machines are used for ploughing fields but with such efforts there are hardly any returns. It is only because most of the crop is damaged by salty water.” Pednekar explains.
“There have been four year since the tender process was completed for this sluice gate. We have approached almost all the authorities including the mamletdar and what we have got in just the assurances. The contractor is not ready to repair the sluice gate and we have to suffer because of his delay tacktics ” Bhanudas Parab Gaonkar told.
The farmers have now urged with the government to look into the matter and compensate them for their losses.