JULIO D’SILVA
julio@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The Paroda canal which was constructed over 65 years ago is in need of major repairs, as the cement has given way at many places resulting in water seepage due to which Macazana situated at the tail end fails to receive any water.
In fact, there have been many complaints from farmers in Chandor itself this year that the water supply from the canal has been stopped in between, which adversely affects their crop. And the complaints have been so many that MLA Clafacio Dias had convened a meeting of farmers alongwith the concerned engineers at Chandor recently.
It was at this meeting that the engineers disclosed the problem relating to the canal and pointed out that since the canal was in need of major repairs, it would be best to shut it down for a year to carry on the required repairs. However, this also would mean that that farmers will not be in a position to cultivate their fields.
The 17.62 kms long canal has around 350 hectares of area under its command area but cultivation is being done in only around 200 hectares, according to WRD junior engineer Rameshwar Sawant. In the current season around 100 farmers from Ghottmorod in Cavorim received water for nearly a month after it was released in the canal on December 21, 2017.
The problem was that one chamber was blocked by a coconut tree that was growing next to it and the engineers had to not only cut the tree but also repair the chamber that was damaged by the roots.
“In fact there are trees growing all along the canal and the roots have cause much damage which should have actually been attended to at that time,” assistant engineer Rajendra B said.
Earlier this month the canal was again shut down because the conduit supplying water from the Selaulim Canal to Paroda canal had to be cleaned since it was silted and there was no water for nearly a week when farmers had fertilized their paddy crops.
The Paroda canal supplies water from the Kushawati river. However, water from the Selaulim canal is supplied to the Paroda canal at Paroda through a 400 mm diameter pipe. Paroda canal receives around 0.1 cubic metre water per second from Selaulim.
While the Paroda canal is 17.62 kms long, it has nearly 19 kms long distribution network of which over 50 per cent is underground and this is where there are problems. “Trees have grown over the joints of the siphons which are underground and it becomes difficult to identify where these joints are as the system was constructed during the Portuguese regime,” Sawant said.
As the underground distribution network is choked, there is no supply of water to most of the tail enders and that is the reason why the engineers suggesting closing down the canal for one year to enable them to inspect the entire network and carry out the necessary repairs.
The local MLA said he will have to discuss this issue with the farmers and accordingly decide. “I shall ask the panchayats to discuss this matter at the gram sabhas and let me know so that we can accordingly take corrective measures,” Clafacio said.
