Of crops & harvest: politicos show the way
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, OCT 25
Welcome to Salcete’s countryside, where politicians of all hues jostle to reach out to the farmers with free harvesters.
Whether the harvesters would ensure a rich harvest of votes for the political lot, only time would tell, with Assembly polls a year and half away, but certainly harvesters have found its way in the fields in a big way, with politicians bearing the expenses incurred on hiring the machines from across the border from Maharashtra and Karnataka.
What began in Nuvem around three years ago at the initiative by ZP member Wilfred D’Sa, which later spread to Curtorim – once considered the granary of Salcete – has now spread across Salcete, with politicians making sure the machines are made available at the door steps of the farming community – virtually free of cost.
If Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco claims credit for being instrumental in bringing harvesters in the fields across Curtorim and neighbouring villages, his rival and probable candidate in Curtorim constituency, ZP member Domnic Gauncar has not lagged behind. The Raia ZP member has ensured that the harvesting machine was made available to the farmers right on time.
In the new Assembly constituency of Nuvem, harvesters have made their presence felt in the fields across the coastal village and the villages of Verna and Nuvem. If MLA Mickky Pacheco distributed agricultural seeds to the farmers in Verna and Nuvem a couple of month ago, Loutolim MLA Aleixo Sequeira has made available harvesting machines to farmers in the villages of Betalbatim-Majorda, besides Verna and Nagoa in the last few days. Take note, the Power Minister is believed to have hired as many as five harvesters to ensure that they met the requirements of the farming community.
Free harvesting machines have also made their presence felt in Fatorda as well on the eve of the Margao Municipal polls. GPCC general secretary Vijay Sardessai – who has set his eyes firmly on Fatorda – commissioned free harvesters for the farmers of Chandrawado in the presence of Fatorda block Congress president Joseph Silva – contesting the Margao Municipal polls from Ward No 3. It is learnt that Sardessai’s rival and candidate Piedade Noronha has also procured a harvester for the benefit of the Fatorda farmers.
While three harvesters were seen engaged round-the-clock in Velim constituency represented by Water Resources Minister, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, sources said the harvesting machines have now been booked by Navelim MLA and PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao to meet the requirements of the farmers from Navelim constituency.
Says Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco: The harvesters are hired either from Devangare or Kholapur. I was instrumental in introducing the harvesters in a big way around 2-3 years ago”.
