MARGAO
It’s raining manure around Fatorda countryside with the monsoons in full flow and the rival politicos out to outwit each other in the game of one-upmanship and be in good books of the farming community.
If the Goa Forward camp under the banner of MLA Vijai Sardesai’s NGO “We for Fatorda” distributed manure to the farmers earlier in the week, the BJP and former MLA Damu Naik hit the ground during the weekend to hand over sacks of manure to the agriculturists.
Both the camps came out in strength to hand over the fertilisers. With the Goa Forward chief reportedly gone out of station, wife Usha along with the team of councillors, including Margao Municipal Council Chairperson Lyndon Pereira hit the ground on Friday.
Not to be left behind, Damu along with his group of councilors, including Camilo Barretto descended in the fields to ensure that the fertilisers reached the farmers.
Damu stated that agriculture is not only an occupation for people but also a way of life. “Most customs and cultures in the world revolve around agriculture. Urea is used in many ways to provide nutrition for plant growth. It is most commonly mixed with soil or applied to the soil surface. Due to the high solubility, it is used to cultivate the soil, growing crops and raising livestock,” he said.
Being a part of the movement, Vibrant Fatorda, he distributed fertiliser to 300-plus farmers at Fatorda and Borda.
A day ago, Usha Sardesai and her group distributed manure to the farmers in the constituency. A couple of weeks ago, MLA Vijai Sardesai had distributed paddy seeds to the farmers like in the past few years.
That the Goa Forward camp took pot shots at the rival camp was amply clear when party-backed councillor Nimisia Faleiro referred to some persons taking the names of farmers for distribution of fertilisers. “Some people are trying to take advantage of a small delay in the distribution of manure by the MLA. But, we should remember that our MLA has been distributing seeds and fertilisers to our farmers since the last 15 years,” Nimisia said, while underlining the need to stand solidly behind the MLA.
Usha also made a reference to the annual exercise being carried out by the MLA in distributing seeds and fertilisers to the farmers, apparently trying to drive home the point that unlike the MLA, others have come with fertilisers just six months before election.
Goa Forward-backed Chairperson Lyndon Pereira took the platform to make a fervent plea to the farmers to rally behind Vijai in the coming Assembly election scheduled to take place within six months.
