High Court directs State to resolve water body dispute in Assolna

File photo of the joint inspection of the Moddorachem Torem at Assolna conducted last month after which Deputy Collector, Margao had submitted a report to the High Court.

MARGAO
The High Court has said the State government should take appropriate decision on the Assolna Moddoranchem Torem (water body) in consultation with the officer of the Agricultural Department as well as the Water Resources Department and to work out a solution, which would be in the interest of all concerned.

When the matter came up for hearing, the High Court observed “let this deliberation be undertaken with the involvement of the petitioner as well as other farmers, who are situated downstream and are affected and are insistent that their fields should get irrigated because of this flow of water.”

After perusing the report submitted by the Deputy Collector, Margao after an inspection of the water body at the directions of the High Court, the HC said, “on perusal of the report, we have also heard the grievance of the petitioner and we find his submission to be fortified in the report itself, which states that the petitioner’s field lies in the zone submerged by the stored water along with some other farms but this is consistent with the long-standing local practice. The report also states that the petitioner’s concern is that closing the bandara fully leaves his field flooded, whereas the adjacent farmer’s concern is securing sufficient stored water for their crop.”

The Court said it is the duty of the State to ensure that interest of making available the irrigation facility is juxtaposed with the adverse effect of the water being soaked in the field of the farmers and the adjoining field owners. “A copy of the survey plan placed before us clearly reflects the position of the farm adjoining the ponds as well as the other farms, which include the property of the petitioner.”

The Court observed: “Though we do not possess expertise we can but expect expertise of the WRD or the expertise of the Agricultural Department to be utilised so that the water is channelised through a water channel by construction of an earthen channel or any other mechanism so that the water reaches the downstream as well as it does not get completely stored in the field of the petitioner.

Before adjourning the matter to November 19, the Court added: “We expect the State government to take an appropriate decision in consultation with the Officer of the Agricultural Department as well as the WRD and to work out a solution, which would be in the interest of all concerned. Let this deliberation be undertaken with the involvement of the petitioner as well as other farmers, who are situated downstream and are affected and are insistent that their fields should get irrigated because of this flow of water.”