Team Herald
PONDA: Angered by five years of inaction over their submerged fields, farmers from the Chikhalpaine Khajan Tenant Association (CKTA) halted an official from conducting an auction for the sluice gate at Kundaim, demanding immediate repairs to the damaged infrastructure causing saline water to flood their fields.
Over 250 farmers, unable to cultivate their paddy fields due to persistent submersion, gathered in protest, pointing to unfulfilled promises and substandard repair work that have left their livelihoods in jeopardy.
The farmers intercepted Avval Karkun (AK), a representative from the Ponda Mamlatdar’s office, insisting that the one-kilometre-long bandhara, recently reconstructed for Rs 2.5 crore, be repaired again due to severe leakages. They presented a resolution passed by 39 farmers on December 15, deciding not to permit the sluice gate auction until the authorities address the issue.
“Five years of waiting has done nothing but make our fields infertile,” lamented Vijesh Naik, president of the CKTA. “The bandhara, which was supposed to save us, has leakages that allow saline water to flood 150 metres of the khazan field during every high tide. To make matters worse, the sluice gate remains in a deplorable state.”
The Rs 2.5-crore reconstruction effort by the government, meant to rejuvenate the fields, has instead caused fresh frustration.
Umesh Naik, a local farmer, attributed the leakages to substandard work and poor oversight. “This could have been our chance to return to farming,” he said. “But due to the poor quality of repairs, our dreams have been shattered again. The bandhara is leaking, and the dilapidated sluice gate has become another headache. How can we farm when saline water keeps flooding our land?”
The exposed and rusting iron rods of the sluice gate have farmers worried about an imminent collapse. Additionally, internal field canals are clogged with mud, causing further flooding and disrupting any prospects of agricultural revival.
With their fields lying submerged, the farmers fear permanent damage to the land, which could result in long-term infertility. Many depend solely on agriculture for their income and have been without any alternatives since the crisis began.
Farmers have stressed that no auction of the sluice gate will be allowed until the bandhara is fully repaired, the sluice gate reconstructed, and measures implemented to ensure fields are protected from further saline flooding.
The protesting farmers are now looking to escalate their demands if the government fails to act promptly. “Our patience has run out,” warned Vijesh Naik. “The authorities need to listen. If there is no immediate action, we will intensify our protests and hold those responsible for these substandard repairs accountable.”