MARGAO: The Village Panchayat of Raia has resolved to involve farmers in the decision-making process, before initiating any work on sluice gates within their jurisdiction. This decision was taken at an executive meeting of the panchayat body.
The members also discussed the utilization of funds sanctioned under the 14th Finance Commission.
Recently, two separate incidents related to sluice gates were reported in the Raia panchayat jurisdiction. One incident involved Uddo-Backbhatt, which did not come up for discussion at the panchayat. The other incident pertained to the sluice gate built in ward number nine, about which several farmers raised concerns. The panchayat inspected the site and resolved that farmers and concerned panch members should be taken into confidence before initiating work on sluice gates in the agrarian village.
Judas Quadros, Sarpanch of Village Panchayat Raia, expressed the need to show concern towards the farmers and their agriculture. He said that issues related to farmers need to be taken into consideration, and that there were some issues related to farmers on the sluice gate built in ward number nine. The concerned farmers had also claimed compensation for their losses, but no resolution was passed by the panchayat body in this regard. Quadros, however, assured that the panchayat would ensure that farmers are not affected due to the construction of sluice gates in the future.
In a similar incident in Uddo, Bacbhatt, which falls under the panchayat’s jurisdiction, the concerned farmers did not bring the issue to the panchayat’s attention. The delay in construction of the sluice gate had resulted in the inundation of their fields with brackish water, forcing them to leave their fields fallow.
