OLD GOA
AAP leader Prof Ramrao Wagh has opined that the mere strengthening of bundhs won't stop saline water from entering the fields.
Instead, Prof Wagh pointed out that in majority of the cases, it has been seen that the lease holders of the sluice gates are indulging in manipulations to keep the sluice gate doors open or closed as per their whims and fancies, due to which saline water enters the fields.
Citing one example of Molleabhat sluice gate in Curca, Prof Wagh said that a wooden plank is used to block the flow of water.
"This results in the saline water not flowing freely and fields getting inundated with saline water," Prof Wagh informed.
“In some instances, logs are placed at the bottom of the sluice gate doors to keep them open, which also results in saline water gushing into the fields during high tide when the doors have to be closed.”
"Therefore, there is a need not only to strengthen the bundhs but also to keep a check on illegalities at sluice gates, otherwise the saline water will never stop from entering the fields and farmers will never be able to cultivate," Prof Wagh stated.
Further, Wagh took a swipe at the officials of the Agriculture Department who visited the Santan fields and suggested measures for reviving farming there.
"These officials did not have the courtesy to visit Curca, which is the neighbourhood of Santan, and take stock of the actual reasons behind fields getting flooded with saline water,” said Prof. Wagh.
"We have seen such instances in Neura as well, where the bundh has been built at a cost of over Rs 9 crore but it's been over six years now that cultivation of fields remain a distant dream with ingress of saline water," Wagh said.
He demanded that the sluice gates have to be strictly monitored first and those indulging in malpractices have to be punished.
"Many a times, we see that the violators do illegalities in one sluice gate and after reprimand from authorities, participate in auction of another sluice gate," Wagh stated.
“Any person found guilty of indulging in illegal activities at sluice gates should not be allowed to participate in any auction in the State.”
