MARGAO
A survey and demarcation conducted by Water Resources Department (WRD) at the picturesque Salpem lake has raised eyebrows amongst the farming community, which has been instrumental in reviving paddy cultivation at the lake after three decades.
Suspecting that the WRD is carrying out the exercise to build a road through the fields, the farmers have urged WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar to drop such plans, if any, saying the farmers will never allow it.
After the exercise began, the farmers raised serious questions whether the WRD is working to help the farmers to revive agriculture or hell-bent in constructing the road for the benefit of vested interests.
A farmer James Gomes said the farmers have revived the fields at the Salpem lake after decades with the help of Paddy Man of Goa, Fr George Quadros.
“The WRD has drawn up plans to revitalise the lake by floating a Rs 46 crore tender. What we are opposing now is the plan to construct road through the fields. We appeal to the WRD Minister to drop such plans,” he said.
Another farmer Edu Lourenco said the farmers would be happy if the government build the culvert in the lake.
The Navelim panchayat had last month dashed off a letter to the WRD, Executive Engineer with a plea to remove a pillar/half pipe from the Saipem lake field to facilitate tractors and harvesting machine to pass along at the entrance to the fields.
Informing that the farmers have already cultivated fields and it has been very difficult for them to carry out the ongoing agriculture activities with the help of latest machinery, as the irrigation pillars/half pipes are obstructing their access through the fields, the panchayat said that though these irrigation canals network was built since many years, till date, not a single drop of water is being supplied to the fields.
