SANGUEM
Paddy cultivators from Goval-Xeldem and neighbouring villages in Quepem have complained of huge losses due to incessant rains in the State since the past many days.
Paddy cultivators in Goval informed The Goan that the harvesting machine had arrived barely a day before the rains and they had harvested their crop, little knowing that the crop would be damaged by rains.
Due to continuous rains, the harvested paddy began to sprout, making it useless for human consumption.
While demanding immediate compensation from the agriculture department, the aggrieved paddy cultivators have blamed the Water Resources Department for the damage caused to their paddy.
“This year, WRD released the water for us in mid-January as against the earlier trend of supplying water in November. This delayed the cultivation process and some farmers completed the transplanting process in February, further delaying the harvesting process by nearly a month,” complained a cultivator.
“Had the department supplied the water by mid-November or early December, the farming process would have completed by end-April, giving enough time for paddy cultivators to harvest and transport rice to their homes.”
The affected farmers have appealed to PWD Minister and local MLA Nilesh Cabral as well as Quepem MLA Altone Fernandes to pursue their matter for compensation with the agriculture department.
Paddy cultivators in Goval informed The Goan that the harvesting machine had arrived barely a day before the rains and they had harvested their crop, little knowing that the crop would be damaged by rains.
Due to continuous rains, the harvested paddy began to sprout, making it useless for human consumption.
While demanding immediate compensation from the agriculture department, the aggrieved paddy cultivators have blamed the Water Resources Department for the damage caused to their paddy.
“This year, WRD released the water for us in mid-January as against the earlier trend of supplying water in November. This delayed the cultivation process and some farmers completed the transplanting process in February, further delaying the harvesting process by nearly a month,” complained a cultivator.
“Had the department supplied the water by mid-November or early December, the farming process would have completed by end-April, giving enough time for paddy cultivators to harvest and transport rice to their homes.”
The affected farmers have appealed to PWD Minister and local MLA Nilesh Cabral as well as Quepem MLA Altone Fernandes to pursue their matter for compensation with the agriculture department.
