PONDA: There seems to be no solution in sight to Madkai farmers’ plight as they are forced to keep their land fallow as their fields have been submerged on account of broken sluice gates and to add to their woes, the Ponda Mamlatdar yet again told the farmers to first elect a Permanent Committee and then meet him to in solve their problems.
The Mamlatdar has fixed January 28 for holding the general body meeting of the Bar Amre Khajan Tenants Association to elect a permanent committee. The farmers now have sought the government’s intervention to look into their issues.
It may be recalled that on January 21, the Ponda Mamlatdar had directed the farmers to elect a permanent Committee. However, there was no consensus among farmers on electing a permanent Committee as some supported the same while others opposed.
The farmers had decided to meet the Mamlatdar office on Tuesday, here the Mamlatdar once again told the farmers’ delegation to first elect the Permanent Committee and fixed January 28 for holding the meeting.
The Mamlatdar said the permanent committee of farmers can help in continuing the probe into the alleged scam committed by the former committee.
Ad hoc committee general secretary Premanand Gaude said, “Unless the Permanent Committee is elected it is difficult to address all issues. At present, the agricultural land has been kept fallow as the same is filled with saline water. The sluice gates are broken.”
He said there are around 25 lakh square meters and 600 farmers, but farming activities have come to a grinding halt as the fields have been submerged with saline water due to broken sluice gates.
He said the farmers have been demanding a probe into the scam committed by the former committees, but this is possible only after a new Permanent Committee is elected.
