the goan I network
MARGAO
Pegging the number of crop loss, including agriculture infrastructure, cases as a result of the unseasonal rains in Canacona to around 155, Agriculture Minister Vijia Sardesai on Tuesday said that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has agreed to sanction one-time relief as a special case for the farmers of the flood-affected taluka.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, the Agriculture Minister said the department will immediately forward a proposal to the Chief Minister to sanction relief not only for the crop loss, but also infrastructure, including the damage caused to pump houses, water pipes and retaining walls. "I approached the Chief Minister to sanction relief under the Chief Minister's Relief Fund and disaster management since the Shetkari Aaadhar Nidhi scheme can compensate losses only to the tune of Rs one lakh, excluding the losses caused to the infrastructure," Sardesai said, adding that the Chief Minister has agreed to sanction one-time relief to the flood victims under the agriculture department itself.
Giving a break-up of the losses arising out of the unseasonal floods in Canacona, the Agriculture Minister has put the number of crop loss cases to 90, adding that the department is expecting 40 more cases in a day or two. On the other hand, the number of infrastructure loss is pegged at around 25, with pump house damages (10), retaining walls (11) and damage to pipeline (4).
"The Shetkari Aaadhar Nidhi scheme has a provision to grant relief up to a maximum of Rs one lakh, but the scheme has no provision to cover infrastructure loss," he said.
The Agriculture Minister said he would also discuss with the Water Resources Department Minister Vinoda Paliencar in order to explore the possibility of the WRD issuing small tenders for construction and repairs of the bhandaras of the farmers' Self Help Groups. "The WRD floats huge tenders amounting to crores, which are bagged by outside contractors. After getting a feedback from the farmers affected by the unseasonal rains at Canacona, I feel the time has come wherein small works are allotted to the farmers' SHGs since they understand the ground reality better than the outside contractors," he said.
Goa Forward Party chief spokesperson, Prashant Naik, who was deputed to Canacona along with Mohandas Lolienkar, to assess the losses, said the worst-hit areas included the panchayat areas of Cotigao and Poinguinim. "We have started getting claims of damage in Gaondongrim panchayat," he said.
Prashant said the farmers have submitted the claims of losses and the same will be verified by department officials. "The agriculture department will constitute three teams of officials to assess the damage. A group of engineers will now go to the taluka to assess the damage to infrastructure, including the bhandaras," Prashant added.
