TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Beleaguered farmers of Raia are up in arms as contaminated water from a nullah used for irrigation has devastated their fields.
The contaminated storm water nullah has left the farmers high and dry. While they are exposed to health hazards while drawing the water from the nullah for irrigating the fields, farmers feared that the vegetable cultivation may be destroyed for want of water.
In fact, anxiety was writ large on the faces of the farmers as they narrated their ordeal to local MLA Reginaldo Lourenco. President of the Raia Farmers Association Judas Quadros said that farmers are in for major trouble unless the authorities intervene and stop the sewage and waste water flowing into the water nullah,” Judas said
“I am growing vegetables on land admeasuring 4000 sq mts. Farmers have complained of itching sensation if they get down in the nullah to fetch water. On the other hand, the vegetable plantation will meet a slow death for want of water for irrigation,” Judas said.
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, who has taken up cudgels for the beleaguered farmers from his constituency, has warned the authorities not to test the patience of the villagers. “These are the people who eke a living on agriculture and supply local vegetables to the market. We will not leave them in the lurch. The sewage water discharged into the water nullah at the Arlem junction must stop forthwith,” Reginaldo demanded.
He has called for a joint inspection of the water nullah by officials of the Goa State Pollution Control Board, Health and Sewerage to find out the source of the water contamination. “We would like to give the authorities a week’s time to plug the leakage or face the wrath of the farmers. Before the crop dries up for want of water for irrigation, we want the authorities to stop the sewage discharge into the water body,” demand
ed Reginaldo.
