PERNEM: The farming community in Konadi, Korgao, has been unable to cultivate their fields for the past four years due to extensive damage caused by the presence of saline water. According to farmers, a tender was awarded in 2019 for the construction of a bundh and sluice gate, worth Rs 2.64 crore. However, the work remains incomplete to this day, resulting in accumulated saline water wreaking havoc on their fields.
Expressing their grievances, the farmers claim that the contractor responsible for the bundh construction has executed the work with substandard quality, leading to the development of cracks and imminent collapse of the bundh. Moreover, the existing sluice gate, which was demolished by the contractor, has not been replaced.
Rahul Bhagat, a local youth who obtained information through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, shed light on the situation. “The tender was awarded for the construction of a bundh and sluice gate to safeguard the agricultural land in the area, with an allocated budget of 2.60 crore rupees. However, the quality of work carried out on the bundh is substandard and on the brink of collapse. Additionally, no work has been undertaken on the sluice gate, even though the bill was cleared in December 2022. The project’s status remains labelled as ‘work in progress’. This project has failed to fulfil its purpose, and farmers continue to struggle for justice,” Bhagat stated.
The affected farmers have taken several measures to seek redress. They have written letters to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister, WRD Executive Engineer, Chief Engineer, Block Development Officer (BDO), and other relevant departments, including the Vigilance Department, urging their intervention and action against the contractor responsible for the substandard work.
A female farmer expressed her dismay, saying, “My husband, children, and I used to cultivate these fields, but for the past three years, we have been unable to do so due to saltwater ingress. Moreover, the contractor has dumped concrete material in the fields, making it difficult for us to walk or use machinery without incurring damage.”
