Farmers block road in Nirmal district over removal of motors from Suddavagu backwaters
Farmers from Malegaon, Kumbi and Lingi villages staged a road sit-in in Nirmal district on Friday, opposing the removal of motors used to draw water from Suddavagu backwaters. They fear crop losses and have urged the government to reconsider its decision.
Nirmal: Farmers from different villages staged a sit-in on a road requesting the government to stop removing motors installed for drawing water from backwaters of Suddavagu irrigation project, at Malegaon village on Friday.
The farmers belonging to not only Malegaon, but Kumbi and Lingi villages blocked the traffic on the road. They regretted that they were cultivating crops depending on the backwater for quite a long time. They argued that removing motors would affect their livelihood. They wanted the government to support them by providing irrigation facilities.
The agitating farmers said that they raised turmeric, Bengal gram, sunflower and other crops by extracting the backwater using motors. They noted that the crops reached the harvesting stage pointing out that they would incur huge losses if they were not allowed to draw the backwaters to irrigate their crops.
They urged the government not to create hurdles for drawing water and requested it to review the decision considering its adverse impact on their livelihood. Sarpanch Shelke Laxmi Anand , former Sarpanch Shankar and farmers were present.
The irrigation officials reportedly made an announcement ordering farmers to voluntarily remove motors as a measure to ensure water in the project for drinking needs in future in the wake of the El Nino pattern. This has become a cause for the concern to the farmers.
