Photo caption
Thick black coloured water flowing into the storm water nullah which is used by Raia-Manora farmers to cultivate vegetables. Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Farmers from Raia cried foul over sewage water flowing into the adjoining water nullah used to irrigate fields, as local MLA Reginaldo Lourenco has threatened to storm the PWD sewerage department if the water contamination does not stop immediately.
Taking up cudgels for the beleaguered farmers of Manora-Raia as they complained of water contamination by sewage water, the Curtorim MLA demanded that the sewerage department should immediately stop the release of untreated sewage from Fatorda at the Arlem-Fatorda junction.
Around 50 farmers cultivating vegetables at the lush green fields across Raia-Manora protested near their fields as they cannot irrigate their fields with the nullah water. “The nullah water is contaminated with sewage water. It has affected the farmers. The entire area stinks of foul odour. The authorities should step in and save the fields and the farmers from a health hazard," demanded a farmer Jesus Quadros.
The Curtorim MLA said the farming community from Manora-Raia had been using the natural spring water to cultivate vegetables at this part of the year, as he hastened to add that the farmer now faces a bleak future since they cannot irrigate the fields with the contaminated water. “The farmers could incur huge losses if the government fails to rectify the sewage flow into the nullah. The farmers want the government to rectify the flow of sewage into the water nullah and save the farming community from disaster," Reginaldo demanded.
A farmer told the media that they feared huge losses if there’s no water to irrigate the vegetable cultivation, while making a plea to the government to intervene and save them from the nuisance.
