MARGAO
Decades after the lush green paddy fields were abandoned after sewage from neighbouring Margao raised its ugly head, agriculture activity is all set to commence in the picturesque Salpem Lake in Navelim in the coming monsoon season.
After a meeting of the farmers, Paddy Man of Goa, Fr George Quadros, Agriculture Officer Sheriff Furtado, sarpanch Paul Pereira and panchas at the Navelim Panchayat ghar on Sunday, it has been resolved to revive agriculture at the Salpem Lake this rainy season.
In fact, the farmers along with Fr George, Convenor of the Village Development Committee Joao Souza and others headed to Salpem Lake after the meeting to take stock of the situation.
Newly-elected President of the Committee of Farmers Antonio Alvares informed that it has been decided to bring back agriculture land spread across one lakh square metres to cultivation this season.
Alvares informed that Fr Quadros will start the ploughing operations in the fields of the farmers as per the consent given by the owners.
“Initially, it has been decided to bring back one lakh square metres of fallow agriculture fields to cultivation this monsoon. In this respect, Fr Quadros will soon start the ploughing operations in the fields ahead of the new season,” Alvares said.
He added: “There were issues regarding the land acquired by the PWD for the western bypass passing through the lake. Besides, the land is also believed to have been acquired by the Water Resources Department. We will mediate with these two departments to spare the land for cultivation, but that will take place in the second phase.”
While welcoming the decision of the stakeholders to revive agriculture cultivation at the Salpem Lake, Navelim sarpanch Paul Pereira stressed the need to find out from the ground the fields acquired by the PWD, National Highway and the WRD.
Fields spread across Salpem Lake have been devastated over the years due to the rampant discharge of sewage water from neighbouring Margao. In fact, the farmers had stopped cultivation of the fields after they complained of skin infections.
Given there was no stop to the discharge of sewage and wastewater into the lake, Navelim resident Antonio Alvares had to knock on the doors of the High Court with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) writ petition to highlight the plight of the once picturesque lake and to direct the Margao Municipal Council to plug the sewage water into the lake.
