Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Farmers from Vathadev, Bicholim have expressed displeasure over the unavailability of water to their kulagars and have blamed the PWD and electricity department for playing games and not providing them water.
It may be stated that through a scheme the government has provided farmers and kulagarkars with water but for the past 20 days their kulagars have not received a single drop of water. “There is abundant water in the river but the PWD has failed to provide our kulagars with required water,” a kulagarkar from Vathadev said.
According to sources, last year the PWD had changed the entire electricity appliances in the pump house, but this year they blamed the electricity department for the voltage fluctuation.
“They claim there is voltage fluctuation or low voltage, which is why there is no supply of water. It is now almost 20 days and our kulagars have not received any water. The arecanut and coconut plantation would die if this continues for few more days,” an aggrieved local said.
Locals had marched to the nearby PWD office to inquire about the situation but were in for the rude shock when they were told that the officers in-charge were not present in the office. According to the locals, it is not just the electricity which is at fault, as even if the water was supplied the pipes would have to be filled by drawing water from the river, before they could be started.
“It is only for some three to four months that we need water and if the PWD is unable to supply us water during that time the scheme is totally a failure,” locals claimed.
“On one hand, the ministers demand that people should take up farming, but do not help farmers when such situations arose and reprimand the erring officials,” farmers point out, saying the MLA and the higher authority should resolve the issue as soon as possible.
