Inundation of River Sal flood plains along western bypass comes back to haunt ryots


MARGAO
Incessant and heavy rains over the last 24 hours have inundated large tracts of the flood plains of river Sal along the Davondem-Seraulim-Mungul-Benaulim belt as the river flowed in full spate for the first time this monsoon.

The same old question has come back to haunt the farmers and citizens – why is the flood water either stagnant or flow reverse instead of moving quickly into the river Sal? Is it because of the construction of the western bypass sans stilts on the Mungul-Benaulim stretch or some other reasons which agencies such as the Water Resources Department (WRD) will find out and rectify?

A visit to Benaulim, Mungul and Seraulim have revealed that vast tracts of low-lying water catchment areas, the flood plains of river Sal, are all inundated with the rain water. What has come as a big shock and surprise is that the water seemed not draining out quickly towards the river Sal, only throwing up question whether the waterlogging is because of the absence of a comprehensive drainage plan for Benaulim and neighbouring areas post-construction of the western bypass.

The Tolleaband water body at Benaulim was inundated with water, but the water apparently did not cross the danger mark after the rains subsided on Friday.

Local villagers pointed out that the water was not flowing into the river Sal, but was found stagnated in the water catchment areas. “It is in the fitness of things, the WRD or expert agencies should study the flow of rain water in the flood plains of river Sal post-construction of the western bypass on earthen embankment,” remarked a Benaulim villager.

Fears of paddy getting destroyed due to flood water stagnation at Seraulim

Large tracts of low-lying fields at neighbouring Seraulim village were inundated by the rain water. Social activist and former Seraulim panchayat member Kevin D’Souza said the low-lying areas, especially close to the construction of the western bypass was not only found waterlogged by the water, but was not receding at all.

“Villagers of Seraulim and Benaulim have been demanding the construction of the western bypass on stilts in Benaulim as we had anticipated such a problem. No doubt, the bypass has been built on stilts along the Seraulim stretch, but water seemed not receding apparently because of bottlenecks in Benaulim,” Kevin said.

He recalled that large tracts of agricultural fields were destroyed in Seraulim village after the floodwater did not recede for days together, destroying the paddy.

Claims of reverse flow of water in fields at Mungul, Davondem

Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai called the media on Friday morning to show them how there’s a reserve flow of water, inundating paddy fields in Mungul and Davondem areas of his constituency.

In fact, Sardesai raised doubts whether farmers in Mungul and Davondem will be able to cultivate the fields this year as the backflow of water from the river has left the fields inundated. “Last year too, we had seen a similar situation, destroying our fields. I had cultivated black rice last year, but it got destroyed due to waterlogging. The same situation has come back to haunt the farmers again,” he said.

Pointing out that the reverse flow of water from the river to the fields, Sardesai said, “We come across river water flow during High Tides. The WRD officials should find out why there’s reverse flow of water instead of the rain water flowing into the sea via the river Sal.”