PORVORIM
Saline water entered through the damaged sluice gates and destroyed crops at Charmanas in Salai, Salvador-do-Mundo.
On hearing the news that their fields had been flooded with saline water, the aggrieved farmers rushed to the site and later summoned the Charmanas Khazan Tenants Association committee.
The enraged farmers confronted the association committee office bearers and demanded compensation for their damaged crops. The situation could have gone out of control, but the timely arrival of a police team defused the tension.
Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte went to Charmanas and tried to pacify the aggrieved farmers.
He also contacted police and government officials concerned.
Khaunte said while DySP Edwin Colaso and the Salvador do Mundo Talathi reached the spot, the Bardez Mamlatdar did not visit the site and did not even respond to phone calls.
The Porvorim MLA later met the office bearers of Charmanas Khazan Tenants Association and they agreed to pay a compensation of Rs 30,000 to each of the farmers who suffered losses.
Later speaking to reporters, Khaunte stated around 650 farmers from Gangoj, Quitla, Donwado, Paithona, Torda and Badem have been cultivating fields in Salai.
“The Salvador-do-Mundo Talathi issued a letter to the Charmanas Khazan Tenants Association on July 24, 2020, to carry out maintenance of the Charmanas sluice gate.”
“However, the Association did not pay heed to the Talathi’s advice and instead, they removed the sluice gate without laying a proper barricade to prevent saline water from entering the fields.”
“Due to this negligence on the part of Charmanas Khazan Tenants Association, saline water started entering the fields during high tide,” said Khaunte.
He informed that a new committee was to have been elected for the association on December 15, 2020, but a new committee has not been elected as yet.
“Salvador do Mundo Sarpanch Sandeep Salgaonkar had written to the Bardez Mamlatdar on December 29, 2020, seeking necessary action as saline water had been entering the agricultural fields through the Charmanas sluice gate and had damaged crops.”
“However, the Bardez Mamlatdar did not take any action in this regard. Hence, the State government is equally responsible for the damage of crops.”
“When I was revenue minister, I had directed the Mamlatdar to issue permission to Khazan tenants association only after receipt of a ‘Safety Bandh Report’. But this has not been implemented,” said Khaunte.
