PONDA: Madkai farmers are extremely anxious as a recent breach in a bandhara poses a threat to their paddy crop, which is in the harvesting stage, is submerged under saline water for almost 20 days.
Farmers said due to the breach in the Bandhara the river water is gushing into the paddy fields during high tide and if it is not repaired soon, it could damage their crops.
Secretary of Bar Amre Khanjan Farmers Association at Madkai, Premanand Gaude said, “Farmers have cultivated Khajan paddy crops and recently a breach occurred in the bandhara at two places. The paddy crop is almost near for harvesting; if saline water enters the field, it would destroy the crop.”
Therefore, there is an urgent need to repair the breach in bandharas to prevent flooding of paddy crops and entry of saline water.
He alleged that at times, the Agriculture department tends to work sluggishly in solving problems of farmers, “causing losses”.
He said as per the government norms, after the breach in bandhara, the Talathi visits the field to conduct an inspection and submits a report to Mamlatdar, who thereafter conveys it to the Soil Conservation Department, to prepare estimates to repair the breach in bandharas.
After that, money is sanctioned for repair works. Without money, repair work is not possible.
“On 21 September, the bandhara alongside the field was breached at two places, following which saline water entered the fields during high tide. I have officially informed the Mamlatdar and Soil Conservation Department about it. It’s almost 20 days but there is no action yet. If saline water continues to enter paddy fields, the crop may get destroyed,” he said.
He said it is painful to see a lot of delay in solving farmers’ problems due to lengthy procedures.
“In today’s online world, the Agriculture department works at a snail’s pace, taking several days to prepare estimates for repairs of khazan Bandhara. One window system should be implemented for speedy disposal of files related to agricultural problems,” Gaude said.