Betalbatim farmers suffer losses after seawater ingress

COLVA: Cyclone Vayu had a devastating effect in Betalbatim on Wednesday after 40 farmers suffered huge losses due to ingress of seawater into the fields at Thondvaddo.
Saline water entered the fields after the sluice gate gave way following pressure of the constant seawater crashing against it. .
Sarpanch Constantino Miranda along with ward panch Fila Antao visited the site to assess the situation.
Miranda said the sluice gate restricts seawater from flowing inward into the creek which runs along the edge of the fields. Due to heavy winds and unusual momentum of the waves, the sluice gate gave way. “The seawater did not only flowed through the creek, but even spilled over and enter the fields,” he said.
Antao said that she had cultivated as many as six fields at the cost of Rs 18,000, and in another 8 to 15 days were to be ready for transplantation. Similarly, 39 other farmers suffered losses after their fields were also destroyed. Farmers recalled a similar incident that had occured around 10 to 12 years ago.
After receiving information late evening on Tuesday, the panch member rushed to the site and arranged for a truck to dump mud near the canal in an attempt to block the ingress of saline water. But the exercise proved futile as water had already entered the fields, while the mud washed away owing to the strong flow of seawater.
Antao said some farmers would use the yield for personal consumption and commercial purposes.