Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, May 9: Some miscreants broke down bunds which were erected at four spots to stop water from flowing down the canal to help execute construction of revetment there, late night on Saturday May 7. The revetment work had begun a week back to stop repeat of the last year's incident in which the canal had breached here because of absence of revetment. The locals as well as the contractors executing the works feel that people who want the ongoing works to be stopped were behind this incident.

After the canal breached at Basabail during the previous rainy season, paddy crops, ponds, pump sets etc were buried under lime soil for an area of nine acres. Compensation has remained elusive. To stop recurrence of the breach, the work on revetment had begun recently after pressure was brought on the concerned.

The works had begun a week back by contractors by beginning to remove the landslide which had submerged the fields, and construction of revetment for the canal. For facilitating this work, bunds with mud and sand bags had been built at four places. About 30 labourers had worked for ten days for this work. Work on revetment had started thereafter, and a major chunk of this work was completed. The work would have been finished in four to five days more.

The concerned were shocked to find on Sunday morning that the entire area where work was executed had been submerged, and equipment were washed away. Rods, plywood sheets, vibrators, wooden runners, planks etc were washed away by water. Water also entered the engines of JCB, inflicting loss running into lacs of rupees.

It is clear that this was the work of some miscreants because, if the things were washed away due to force of water, water should have flown with force, and the blocks should have scattered. The bunds have just opened to allow water to flow away, by people driven by ulterior motives.

Local farmers at Basabil are distressed at this development. Their crops and other things had been lost due to breach of canal last year. Their hopes were kindled after he work on revetment began last week. The destruction unleashed by unscrupulous elements on Saturday night have demolished their hope again. A farmer from Basabail, Virupaksha, feels that the only option open for them now is to end their lives.

Assistant executive engineer of Varahi project, Jagadish, told the media that works had begun to stop repetition of destruction as in the last year, but noted that someone had removed bunds meant to stop water flow for enabling work to continue. He said that the department will review the situation and take steps.

The contractors feel that the culprits here were driven by professional rivealry or some other kind of anger. They have complained to the police as well as officials.

In the meanwhile, farmers have been made to suffer because of someone's else's misdeeds. People who were finding comfort in the knowledge that the work would finish before the beginning of monsoon, are now distressed. The farmer organizations which fight on the issues relating to Varahi project and local people's representatives need to spend some time to take mercy on these people and think about ways and means to rescue them out of this pitiable situation.