Team Herald
PONDA: Work on the construction of the Kundaim-Chickhalpaine bandhara was halted on Monday, as the adjoining fields are intentionally inundated with saline water, making it difficult for the movement of trucks carrying mud for the bhandara. This sent the farmers of the village into a panic, and they gathered at the site demanding that the Ponda Mamlatdar conduct an immediate inspection and initiate action.
Chickhalpaine Farmers Association President Vijesh Naik said that the illegal storage of saline water in the fields by another farmers association for fishing activities has caused a major hurdle in the construction of their bandhara at Kundaim. Naik lamented that the farmers had kept their land fallow for four years due to breaches in the bandhara, and after many appeals, the government had laid the foundation to reconstruct the bhandara, at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore. “The contractor had started the construction of the one km-long bandhara last month. However, the neighbouring Zuvya Katar Farmers Association started opening the sluice gates during high tide, to let saline water into their fields, for illegal fishing activities. This has hampered the construction work of our bhandara,” he said.
The contractor had dumped truck loads of mud on the common bhandara separating the two fields, to make way for the transportation of mud alongside the khajan bandhara, said Naik. “The stagnant water in the field has made the temporary mud road of the bandhara wet and weak, due to which it caves in. This makes it impossible for the movement of trucks loaded with mud for the bhandara, as they get stuck in the muck,” he explained.
The contractor stopped work fearing that the trucks could overturn in the field, causing damage to life and property, Naik added.
This has caused panic in the Chickhalpaine Farmers Association as they fear that the bhandara will not be complete by May, before the monsoon this year.
Vijesh Naik said he tried to request the Zuvya Katar Association President not to store saline water in the fields, but he arrogantly rejected his request.
The Ponda Mamlatdar
assured the farmers that he would inspect the site on Tuesday.
