MARGAO: Around 10 farmers from Cavorim Chandor are a worried lot as they have not received water for their fields despite the Water Resources Department had released water to the Paroda Canal in December.
Most parts of Chandor received water by December 21. Ten paddy cultivators at Pattem near Donemoll in Cavorim are yet to receive water because the small canal providing water to the area was blocked as a coconut tree growing next to a well had totally choked the well.
The coconut tree had to be cut down and the well had to be rebuilt and that is the reason there was no water to this area, informed Ramesh Sawant, WRD engineer. He assured that the water would be supplied by Tuesday.
Fields, which received water on December 21, have been prepared for cultivation and the seed for transplantation is practically ready and the owners are expected to commence transplantation by next week. “I am the one who is suffering as I have not received water for nearly a month now and my crop will be delayed by that period. It will be a huge problem for me at the time of harvesting as my crop will be ready only a month after the other crops,” lamented John Coutinho, a farmer from Pattem.
Menino Gomes and Andrew D’Silva disclosed that they had verbally complained to the panchayat about the matter and added that the panchayat has not been able to do anything.
However, Sarpanch Celina Furtado said she was in touch with the concerned officials and added the water will be released in the canal by tomorrow.
Chandor farmers have been complaining for long about the water being released late in the canal. However, this year though the water was released in the third week of December due to MLA’s efforts, but the farmers alleged that they have to suffer because the WRD fails to carry out regular maintenance work.
“If regular maintenance was done, they would have realised well in advance that the coconut tree was blocking the well and would have taken measures before the water was released in the canal,” Menino added.
