MARGAO
Farmers and vegetable growers from Agalli and Murida in Fatorda are up in arms as the discharge of sewage water into a fresh water nullah used by them for irrigation has threatened them of their livelihood.
The farmers claimed that that the contaminated water from the nullah has reached their fields, preventing them from stepping into the fields. They claimed that the sewage discharge has also resulted in fish mortality and has raised apprehensions that the local variety of vegetables cultivated in the fields will have no takers in the market.
In fact, since the last two days the farmers have to contend with sewage odour as the very water from the nullah used for irrigating the fields is contaminated with the sewage. They have demanded to know how the Sewerage department or the contactor employed by the government has discharged the sewage water in the nullah, knowing very well that water from the fresh water nallah is used for irrigating the fields.
A farmer pointed out that this is the time of the year when over 50 farmers take to vegetable cultivation and bring the produce to the local market. “How will these farmers eke a living when the produce will not get to the market because of the contamination”, the farmer wondered.
Another farmer pointed out that farmers who entered the fields to irrigate the fields were left with itching on their hands and legs.
Saying the contactor later agreed to supply tanker water for irrigation, the farmers wondered whether the tanker water will reach the fields running into acres.
Margao Municipal Councillor Nimisha Faleiro told the media that the sewage department has flouted all norms by discharging the sewage water in the fresh water nullah. “Even assuming the department had engaged a contractor to take up the sewage works, prudence demands that the sewage is collected in tankers and disposed of at the Sewage Treatment Plant. This is totally unacceptable. Those responsible for the situation should be punished. The farmers need to be compensated”, she demanded.
Former Councillor Jose Fernandes demanded immediate compensation for the affected farmers by the government for contaminating the fresh water nullah. “These are poor farmers eking a living on agriculture and vegetable cultivation. Their source of livelihood has been adversely affected because of the sewage water contamination”, he said, while making a plea to the government to compensate the beleaguered farmers.
