The farmers from Sal in Bicholim are reeling under pressure over the non-availability of Tillari water to their farms and fear that even this year their farms would be damaged if the water supply is delayed.
The farmers from Sal are totally dependent on the Tillari water and every year the supply to these farms has been delayed as the work of cleaning and other formalities take too long and the farmers have to bear the brunt for no fault of theirs.
“The Tillari water should be supplied either in August or September as there is very less rainfall during these months. If the water is sent during these months then only our crops will survive. It is useless to supply water to us in January when everything has dried out,” said Deelip Desai from Sal.
The farmers cannot use the tap water as there is no constant supply in Sal. They cannot even dig a well because of financial crunch. They say the government has no proper planning in handling the issue and feel that if it was concerned about the farmers then it (government) would have planned the supply of water well before the monsoon.
“There is no use of Goa government spending so much on the Tillari project. Every year those affected due to it go on strike and even sit in protest at the canal with their demands and farmers from Goa are made to suffer,” said Mehasham Raut from Sal.
“Tillari project is just done and forgotten. There is no follow up whether it is beneficial to the farmers or not. It is useless that every year we send letters to the authorities and raise our voice, somewhere it should be stopped.” Raut claimed.
According to the farmers, the tendering process of cleaning the canal has not yet been done and it could take another month for the process to complete and by that time their farms would be totally destroyed. The farmers have now indirectly threatened that if they are not supplied with Tillari water then they will stop the supply of drinking water to entire North Goa, as the water to Padosem water treatment plant is supplied from Sal bandhara. “The government should not test our patience and if we are enraged, we will resort to any move and government would be responsible for the actions,” Raut threatened.
There are over 100 farmers in Sal and they have two water distribution societies. “We don’t know what the officials are doing. Last year, the office at Assonora held the charge of supplying water and this year they told us that the Dodamarg office has been given the charge. We are made to run from pillar to the post when our farms are dying,” Digambar Raut said, adding, “The farmers are frustrated and we will resort to agitation if water is not supplied to us. We feel that Tillari project is just a money-making business for the contractors and officials as they are least bothered about the farmers.”
Expressing similar views, Sal Sarpanch Prakash Raut informed that they have approached all the officials but no one is bothered to solve the issue.
