VALPOI: A sugarcane cultivator from Dhamse has demanded compensation for his loss with a threat to stop cultivating.
Pundalik Gaonkar, a leading sugarcane cultivator, told Herald that his production has suffered due to lack of water. This, he claimed, is entirely due to the negligence on the part of the Water Resources Department which has failed to take care of the water supply to his plantation.
More than 25 cultivators from Dhamse have been growing sugarcane for the last 10 years. Sugarcane is being grown in almost 30 hectares of land is this village. The produce from this cultivators have given a boost to the Sanjivani Sugar Factory at Dharbandora. This year, however, the production has fallen sharply and the sugarcane growers have put the blame of the lack of proper water supply.
Gaonkar has claimed that he has managed to water his crop only five times since December 2015. This lack of water has hit the production very badly. He claims that the sugarcane yield this year will not even cover his expenses.
Experiencing acute shortage of water, the farmers have knocked on the doors of the water department to obtain water for their plantation. However, all their pleas have fallen on deaf ears with the officials finding silly excuses and giving evasive replies.
The cultivators bore the petty losses in the past, but this year they have threatened to give up cultivation if they are not compensated for their losses.
