PONDA: Two farmers from Gaunem-Bandora village who have lost a large number of coconut and other fruit-bearing trees due to ingress of river water through damaged sluice gates at Caranjal-Marcaim, on Thursday demanded compensation from the government.
The two farmers, Shashikant Gaude and Jesus Silvera had claimed in May this year that due to the breach in sluice gate last year, have suffered huge losses as their fruit-bearing trees have dried up due to water salinity.
Shashikant said, “River water entered through the breach in sluice gate into their plantations at Gaunem.”
“Until the sluice gate is repaired, the government should save our remaining trees by adopting temporary measures to prevent water from entering our fields and plantations by placing sand bags to avoid further damage. We had informed the Ponda Mamlatdar about the damaged sluice gate. The Agriculture Department said that this flooding does not come under natural calamity,” Shashikant added.
He said though Talathi had inspected the plantations, but he wasn’t aware of the department that would compensate him for the losses.
When asked, Ponda Mamlatdar Vimod Dalal said that the WRD has made a cost estimate for repairing the sluice gate and bandhara.
WRD officials said they had made estimate of Rs 1.3 crore for repairs and are waiting for its approval. The officials said the repair work is possible only after the rainy season.
