PONDA: Farmers from Dhavali-Kavlem are in distress as a 100-metre long portion of a bund at Kinayate-Kavlem is on verge of collapse following constant soil erosion and due to lack of maintenance.
The local farmers urged the Water Resources Department (WRD) to immediately inspect the bund and construct a retaining wall alongside bund so that they can cultivate their fields during the coming rabi season from November to January.
Yashwant Naik, a farmer from Dhavali said that beside damages to bund on account of soil erosion, the operator of the earthmover engaged by the WRD while undertaking cleaning of the nullah during monsoon dug at base of the bund which resulted in further soil erosion leading to uprooting of coconut trees which fell into the nullah blocking flow of water.
He said for several decades his family used to cultivate kharif and rabi crops but in recent time due to cost factor, he is cultivating only rabi crop.
He said the 100-metre bund alongside paddy agricultural land at Kinayate-Kavlem is washed out due to soil erosion especially in the rainy season. Earlier the bund width was almost 3 to 3.5 metres but due to constant soil erosion has been reduced to one metre and it is even difficult to walk on this bund for carrying out agricultural activities. With no proper access, it is risky to walk along the bund’s pathway.
Yashwant said that Kavlem Panchayat has passed a resolution to send a proposal for repair of this bund. He said that he informed the WRD officials, who assured to look into the matter. To cultivate rabi crop, the bund needs to be repaired and a retaining wall should be constructed immediately.
