MARGAO
Water from the Zuari River entered the paddy fields at Rachol village on Wednesday due to a breach in the bundh.
As the situation threatened to further deteriorate threatening to inundate the fields, the beleaguered farmers swung into action in the wee hours of Thursday with a JCB machine to plug the breach with stones and mud.
After receiving information from the farmers, Salcete Mamlatdar Vimod Dalal rushed to Rachol on Thursday and inspected the breach along with Soil Conservation Department officials.
The Mamlatdar later told The Goan that he has instructed the Soil Conservation official to prepare the estimates for the repair and restoration of the damaged bundh on priority. He, however, said since it may take some time for the Soil Conservation Department to comply with the procedure of floating a tender, his office will request the tenants association to take up the repair work.
“During inspection, we have observed that the bundh which has suffered a breach, is weak in nature for lack of upkeep and maintenance. I have asked the Soil Conservation officials to prepare the estimates to repair the bundh. In the meantime, my office will request the tenants association to take up the repair work,” he said.
A farmer Jezik Oliveira told The Goan that the breach in the bundh was spotted by the farmers on Wednesday evening, resulting in the entry of the river water into the fields. “As a temporary measure, we have plugged the breach with stones and mud in the wee hours of Thursday,” he said, adding that the bundh needs to the reinforced to avoid any breach in the future.
