Team Herald
MAPUSA: Farmers suffered heavy losses as several paddy fields were left inundated after sluice gates got breached at Salvador do Mundo.
After receiving information, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte rushed to the spot and alleged that the inundation was due to failure of the concerned authority to repair the sluice gates and the illegalities with regards to their auctioning.
Blaming the local tenants associations for the inundation, he alleged that these bodies bribed the police and other authorities to shield their actions.
“Despite the fact that the work order to repair the sluice gate was issued in July, the association continued fishing there, resulting in the disaster. During my tenure as Revenue Minister, the report certifying safety of the sluice gates was made mandatory before auctioning them. However, this practice is not currently being followed by the department”, Khaunte charged.
The sluice gates are usually auctioned by December 15; he said and alleged that this year this process is still not taken up.
Meanwhile, the tenants association of Porvorim has assured to compensate the farmers.
Khaunte said the local panchayat has been asked to file police complaint as the tenants association is answerable for incident.
