Deprived of any type of facilities and assistance, farmers from the rapidly urbanizing Bhayandar-Uttan belt are still striving hard to keep the tradition of farming alive in their villages. However, the notorious dumping mafia has now posed a serious threat to their livelihoods even as the local civic administration chooses to remain blind to the illegal activities.
The rampant dumping of debris has led to obstruction to the natural flow of water leading to massive waterlogging in vast acres of farmlands in villages including Rai, Murdha and Morwa villages near Bhayandar as paddy crop remains submerged in water due to the recent spell of heavy rains as crops are under knee-deep water damaging the paddy plants.
A similar situation prevails in the coastal belt of Uttan, where the woes of farmers are further compounded due to the release of untreated liquid being released from the dumping yard located on a hillock to nearby farmlands and water bodies.
Sensing the seriousness of the situation, the local farming community under the aegis of the Bhumiputra Samajik Samanvay Sanstha (BSSS) led by former deputy chief of the erstwhile Mira Bhayandar Municipal Council (MBMC) Ashok Patil, has dashed off a letter to the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC), Thane District Collector, and the Kharland Development Department seeking their immediate attention towards resolving the issue.
“Apart from clearing obstructions which were hindering the natural flow of water, removal of debris and encroachments, we have asked the concerned agencies to initiate action against those who are responsible for dumping and help out the farmers by way of protecting cultivable land. We expect an answer within seven days,” said Patil.
People living in the rural areas like Rai, Murdha, Morwa and the coastal belt of Uttan largely rely on fishing and farming as their source of livelihood.
