TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
SANGUEM: Farmers located towards the Quepem side of the Selaulim Irrigation Project, who have had no irrigation water since January 23, heaved a sigh of relief after Water Resources Department (WRD) restored water supply through the breached portion of the damaged canal on Sunday.
Incidentally, though water supply was restored late Sunday afternoon, paddy cultivators in and around Xeldem had to wait till Monday afternoon for the water supply, as the department first released water to cover the main canal area passing through Cuncolim.
The water supply through distributory canal which passes through Xeldem was released on Monday afternoon after the cultivators complained that they did not receive water despite restoration of water services.
It may be recalled that a portion of the canal breached on January 23 and the Water Resources Department had assured to restore the water supply to the affected farmers within four to five days.
Accordingly, pace was set to repair the breached portion of the canal on a war footing. However, the canal breached for the second time no sooner water supply was restored through the repaired portion of the canal.
Subsequently with no alternative, the department laid MS pipes across the damaged portion of the canal to restore water supply to the affected farmers, 18 days after the canal was damaged.
The MS pipes presently laid across the canal will be however removed during the monsoon, when the canal remains closed and the breached portion will be repaired with mud and concrete, informed sources.
