Aggrieved farmers in Khotoda-Sattari marched to the WRD office in Valpoi on Tuesday to voice their dissatisfaction over the lack of water supply, which has severely affected their plantations in the village.
Known for their thriving plantations, farmers from several villages under the Khotoda Panchayat are facing severe hardship. With five months passed since the monsoon and another three months remaining before the next monsoon, many plantations have begun to dry up, triggering strong resentment among growers.
According to the unhappy farmers, the existing pump is of low capacity and fails to provide adequate water. Several plantation owners reported that they have not received any water supply at all, leading to crop damage and mounting losses.
In Velguem village of Khotode Panchayat, located along the Mhadei river, farmers cultivate arecanut, coconut, mango, and cashew on a large scale. Traditionally, irrigation here depends on a bandhara (check dam) and a lift irrigation scheme that stores monsoon water and distributes it to plantations.
Although the dam gates were installed after the monsoon, farmers claim that water supply has still not begun this season. Concerned growers met Assistant Engineer Satish Kumar Sawant at the Valpoi WRD office, warning that without immediate water supply their plantations may suffer irreversible damage.
The existing lift irrigation scheme uses a 40-horsepower pump which, the farmers claim, is no longer sufficient as the irrigated area has expanded significantly over the past decade.
While the system once met demand, the increased number of farmers and larger cultivated area now require higher capacity. As a result, several orchards have shown signs of stress, with trees turning yellow due to lack of water.
According to official sources, a Rs 6 crore irrigation augmentation project was approved through the efforts of Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to ensure adequate water supply to the region. However, despite administrative approval nearly two years ago, the project has not commenced as it is still awaiting clearance from the finance department.
Farmers say repeated follow-ups have yielded no progress and are urging the minister to intervene urgently. Some growers have already contacted him to explain the adverse situation.
Farmers in Khotoda have warned that extensive damage to plantations in the area is inevitable, unless the irrigation augmentation project receives immediate approval and water supply improves soon.
