PONDA: The illegal storage of saline water in vast swathes of agricultural fields in Karay-Shiroda has left local resident Milind Mamlekar anxious that his house may soon collapse or get washed away.

Mamlekar has complained that the farmers in the area have been storing sea water in their paddy fields illegally for the past three years, for fishing purposes.

“My house is located only five metres away, on the bank of the inundated field. Due to this illegal storage of water, the walls of my house are always damp and I fear that the constant water damage will soon cause the building to collapse,” said Mamlekar. “The laterite stones on my property have gotten damaged due to the seepage of salt water. I paint my walls to protect them, but the paint soon starts peeling. Due to the saline water stored here, the bundh on my property collapsed, increasing the risk to my house,” he added.

He said the government should direct the farmers to drain the saline water from these fields and encourage them to cultivate paddy instead.

“The government had even constructed a bandhara for the farmers, so they can cultivate paddy, but the farmers choose to fish here instead. The saline water is also affecting coconut production. My trees used to yield at least 3,000 coconuts each year, but have now stopped bearing fruit,” he complained. Mamlekar said that he had submitted a letter to the Ponda Mamlatdar in 2021, seeking action against the storage of sea water in the field.

“After the complaint,

the fields were all drained, but the farmers inundated the fields again shortly after,” he added.