PORVORIM
The Serula Shetkari Association has clarified that on account of the human error on the part of the carpenter who could not fix the plank of the sluice gate of charmanas before the high tide, the saline water entered the fields at Salvador do Mundo on January 8.
The chairman of the Serula Shetkari Association Vilas Naik has mentioned in the press note that on January 8 the carpenters were executing work of replacing one of the Sluice gates with entire new wooden structure.There was a human error on the part of the carpenter whilst fixing the base plank. The fixing of the base plank has to be done when the tide is still. As the plank could not be fixed within time, the high tide set in and situation went out of control as a result of which the fields got flooded. The said incident was purely accidental and was very unfortunate and the managing Ccmmittee regrets the same, said Naik.
Naik has further mentioned that the present managing committee is an ad-hoc Committee appointed as per directions of the High Court in a Writ Petition filed by one Narendra Chatim and Policarpo Antao.The Managing Committee has taken charge since October 2019 and has undertaken extensive repair works to the 4 sluice gates and has also cleared some mud debris and opened certain drains/ outlets which had clogged on account of mud deposited by some miscreants.
The Managing Committee has always managed and repaired the sluice gates to the best of their ability.
The managing Committee and its workmen however did not rest after the incident and carried out the work on a war footing and now they have managed to restore the sluice gate by installing an entire new wooden structure. The sluice gate is fully operational now and the water from the fields have started receding. The entire water from the fields will be drained out to normal within 2 days. The managing committee is also carrying out works to the other sluice gates and the work will get completed soon, said Naik.
Naik stated it is true that due to flooding of fields of some of the farmers who have cultivated their fields had their crop damaged. He said they stand by the farmers and assure that they will endeavour to compensate them as per their budget and finances.
In the meanwhile, they have appealed to all the farmers whose crop is damaged to file an application to the managing committee with I & XIV form, survey plan and photographs of the crop. The farmers whose name doesn't figure in I & XIV form may also apply by stating the necessary facts. The application may be made latest by January 16, said the press note.
