-- Samir Umarye BICHOLIM NOV 26: The farmers from Mayem Bicholim have demanded to repair a 30 year-old sluice gate which would benefit about 200 farmers from the village.
It may be stated that the sluice gate which is located between Bhavkai and Haldanwadi Mayem was build some 40 years back. Later due to heavy flow of water the doors were washed away and since last 30 years inspite of demands from the farmers the authorities did not repair the gates. "This sluice gate will benefit about 200 farmers whose farms get destroyed every year when the water enters it during the high tide." President of the Mayem Bhu Vimochan Nagrik Kriuti Samiti, Kashinath Mayekar told Herald "at present it is with the Custodian of Evacuee Property department and they should initiate action for its repair." At present it is used by the villagers as a bridge which links Bhvkai and Haldanwadi. "It lessens the distance between the two villages by about four kms" Mayekar told "the repairs of this is important also on this ground as earlier while traveling through this bridge some of the motorcycle riders had fallen down." Earlier, the Mineral Foundation of Goa had proposed to repair the sluice gate but their plans did not succeed as the farmers opposed it on some technical ground. "The farmers would benefit only if is made properly taking into consideration all the aspects of the area" a farmer Damodar Gosavi told "the MFG was opposed as they did not take into consideration all the facts we told them and just wanted to go on with the project." "We have demanded repairs of this sluice gate since a long time but the government authorities have failed to repair the same" lamented Ramnath Surlikar.
