PONDA: In a heart-wrenching incident, farmers in Bandora have suffered a massive loss of their livelihood as hundreds of coconut, betel nut, banana and spice trees have been destroyed by saline water.
The devastation was caused over the past one year, due to the illegal operation of sluice gates in the neighbouring village of Gandyar-Marcaim, which were kept open for the entire year, allowing seawater to submerge their bagyat crops and paddy fields.
According to Jejus Silvera, a senior farmer in Bandora, “We have never seen such damage to our Bagayat in our life. 80% of our trees have been destroyed, including hundreds of coconut trees that will never bear fruit again. Our only source of livelihood is ruined.” He added that he spent his entire lifetime tending to these trees, and will not be able to grow new ones in his lifetime.
Shashikant Gaude, another affected farmer, shared his plight, “The fresh water well that we used for irrigation has turned salty due to the deluge of seawater, and our coconut trees have all dried up. We cannot cultivate our paddy fields, and have left them fallow due to the entry of saline water.”
The farmers are now seeking urgent action from the Mamlatdar, Panchayat, and Agriculture Department to inspect the site and punish the person responsible for keeping the sluice gate doors open illegally. “When we confronted the person responsible, we were threatened,” they added. They fear that the destruction caused by the salty water may lead to their families’ starvation.
Bandora Sarpanch Sukanand Kurpaskar has acknowledged the issue and informed that the Panchayat has already sent a written complaint to the Ponda Mamlatdar and Agriculture Department, and a joint inspection has been scheduled for next week.
