TEAM HERALD
CALANGUTE: Farmers from Parra protested against the construction of a four-metre wide road in the paddy fields at Parra, apart from the three-metre footpath along the road from Saligao to Parra.
The farmers have termed the development as unplanned development that would destroy their paddy fields and needless expenditure to the exchequer and have demanded an immediate stop to the road in their paddy fields.
The farmers have urged the State government to take them into confidence while carrying out any developments in their paddy fields.
Speaking to media persons, Pradeep Mayekar said the development of a footpath and road in the paddy fields is unplanned and not in their interest or that of the locals.
“The road widening was done by the government by uprooting trees providing shade for farmers and people while they walked along the Saligao-Parra road. The road width is the same and is proving a danger to motorists and vehicle owners while the width of the footpaths on both sides of the road has been increased to three metres each and benches have been placed, but in whose interest,” questioned Mayekar.
“If you pass by the road late in the evening you will find young couples with beer glass bottles in their hands. Earlier, we were finding garbage bags in the paddy fields but hereafter we will find glass bottles in our fields which will pose a threat to us and workers may refuse to work in the fields,” said Mayekar.
Saidev Harmalkar said, “I have my vegetable plantation and labourers engaged in the road work wanted to uproot the plantation and coconut saplings which I have planted. They were trying to bulldoze the vegetation, destroying my paddy field for a road which we did not ask for. Why do we need a road in the paddy fields? We only want a place to enter our fields from the footpath to cultivate and survive on seasonal crops.”
Anand Haldankar said the State government has become insensitive to the issues of the farmers. “We as farmers are not allowed to take either tractor or harvester machines across the footpath into our paddy fields and if we do so, FIRs are filed with the police. If we are not allowed to take our tractors or harvesters, why is the government constructing footpaths using the farmers’ paddy fields,” he asked.
Anthony Fernandes said the government should immediately stop construction of the road in their paddy fields at Parra, as they do not want the road. “The farmers are losing their stretch of land due to the road which could render them without any source of income,” he said.
