Team Herald
SANGUEM: The farmers of Sanguem, whose agitation against the proposed IIT project entered its 77 th day on Friday, have furnished proof that the land earmarked for the institute at Cotarli village is part of the Gross Command Area of the Selaulim Irrigation Project, and is indeed farmland, lush with cashew plantations; contrary to the statements made by local MLA Subhash Phaldessai.
Lashing out at the MLA for his repeated claims that the land chosen by the State government to establish the IIT is barren and bereft of agricultural activity, the farmers pointed out that the Water Resources Department has even laid irrigation canals through the said plots.
The farmers, many of them elderly, have challenged Phaldessai to accompany them on a visit to the spot, so he can personally inspect their plantations. Gross Command Area is the total area that can be economically irrigated from anirrigation scheme, and includes cultivable as well as uncultivated lands suchas roads, wastelands, forests and barren lands.
“When the Selaulim Dam was commissioned in Sanguem, around 29,373 hectares of agricultural land was classified as Gross Command Area, with around 9,686 hectares being actual cultivable command area. This also includes the areas within the proposed site for the IIT at Cotarli village,” said a farmer, whose family has cultivated the area for several generations. The areas surrounding the proposed IIT site is managed and looked after by Kiragal Pani Vantop Saunstha, which comprises 115 members cultivating plantations in Cotarli village.
Pointing at the elaborate irrigation network ofcanals that traverse the land, Chairman of the association Constancio Mascarenhas said that the Water Resources Department had, only a few days ago,carried out concreting work on the sub canals in the area.
“The farmers of Cotarli have even begun cultivation of a fresh crop, after the release of water by the WRD for irrigation, on November 15. Subhash Phaldessai should visit these scenic plantations at least once, just to see for himself the crops we have grown this season,” said farmer JosephFernandes.
