With the paddy fields submerged under flood water and the village witnessing reverse flow of water, farmers and villagers from Seraulim have knocked the doors of the authorities to immediately open the rain water pathways to facilitate the flood water to recede and save the paddy from destruction.
Taking cognizance of the plight of the farmers, Seraulim Sarpanch Seema Shanke has dashed off letters to the South Goa District Collector, MLA Benaulim, officials of the Water Resources department, besides the Zonal Agriculture department to take immediate measures to ensure the quick flow of flood waters from the low lying areas.
Flood waters from Seraulim have showed no signs of receding till date as the water inundation now threatens to destroy the transplanted paddy. In fact, it’s a week now since Seraulim has been witnessing inundation of the low lying areas, including the Duncolim lakes and the low lying areas behind the Church.
In a letter addressed to the District Collector, South, the Sarpanch highlighted the plight of farmers due to flooding of their paddy fields, caused by the reverse flow of flood water.
The Sarpanch pointed out that the flood water which has to flow along the river Sal is flowing upwards towards due to the blocking of free flow of water next to the office of the contractor executing the work on the western bypass. She stated that the impact of this dam like situation has affected the agriculture fields in Duncolim and behind the church area.
“The transplanted rice seedlings are just few days old and would not withstand flood for more than four days as a result destruction of their cultivated paddy fields”, informed Kevin D’Souza.
He said the authorities should also find out whether the construction of the 900-metre road along the flood plains to build the bypass on stilts has also created dam like situation, hampering free flow of rain water flowing from Nuvem.
The farmers have urged the authorities to open the water path as it would allow water to recede faster or any other way that WRD and PWD can work out. “This situation was anticipated earlier, but the authorities have failed to tackle the problem”, the farmers said.
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