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Hilling cutting ban hits repairs of bundhs in Khazan land HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, DEC 14 While strict ban on hilling cutting brought smiles on faces of environment lovers, it has affected repairs of bundhs in the Khazan land. The Soil Conservation Section of the Agriculture Department, in-charge of repairs of bundhs, has not been able to undertake repairs of bundhs during last six months for want of red soil. 'Contractors are not coming forward, because getting permission for hill cutting is not so easy now. They have to comply with number of formalities before they extract soil,' told Ashok Kamtar, Executive Engineer, in-charge of Soil Conservation Section. Following agitations against RP 2011 last year, and alleged rampant hill cuttings incidents that came to light, subsequently, authorities concerned were compelled to strictly deal with any complaint of hill cutting. The department has not been able tender work to repair 2.2 meter Divar bundh, in Tiswadi, which is today, totally in dilapidated condition, says Kamtar. Transporting soil from other taluka or a quarry increases cost of construction. 'With non-availability of local soil, it will have to be transported through a barge to repair Divar bundh' he adds. No wonder on both the occasions when work was tendered, there was no response from contractors. Morrum or red soil from mining belt could be used for repairs of bundhs but department fears, it will raise the cost of repairs. Most bundhs are located in Tiswadi taluka, but the moot question is whether contractors would be willing to bear additional cost of transportation. According to Agriculture Department, there are about 521 notified bundhs (420 kms) and though there are additional internal bunds they have not been notified. Bandhs protect paddy cultivation in the Khazan land from saline water during high tide. As per 1972 Survey khazan land was 18000 hectares, however today what is left is only 60 per cent. 'About 40 per cent of the khazan land went for KRP,' he adds. Nevertheless, not all balance Khazan land is under cultivation. With the fall in agricultural activity, only 40 per cent of the total available khazan land is being utilized.
