Faulty road construction causes damage to paddy fields

Report and Pictures by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 19 June 2010:  The road that was constructed for the benefit of the travelling public has become a nightmare for the farmers whose paddy fields are adjacent to the road that connects Moodubelle with Kattingeri and beyond from Manibettu to Kajaribettu and thereafter to Manchakal. As the road was constructed during the winter and summer seasons its fate during the monsoon season was not visualised by the contractor who constructed the road. 

The monsoon with heavy rains has taken the toll of the road as well as the paddy fields lying by its side especially in Manibettu and Kajaribettu. The soil and even the jalli from the raised portions of the road have washed out and got deposited in the paddy fields causing great inconvenience to the agriculturists who had to spend extra amount on labour to clear the fields in order to transplant the paddy saplings. According to a report, paddy fields of nearly fifteen farmers have been inundated with the soil from the road. 

Residents of the area say that the contractor had promised to secure both sides of the road with stone walls so that the soil from the road would not flow into their paddy fields during the rainy season. However, once the work was complete, the contractor seems to have forgotten the assurance given to the people whose paddy fields are closer to the road. Moreover, the work was so shoddy that facility to pass the water from one side to the other in low lying areas was not provided except for the cement pipes without proper concrete work.  The mud and jalli that was used to cover the cement pipes have also washed out. The pump shed of Mrs. Hilda D’Souza of Kajaribettu was filled with the washed out soil causing inconvenience of clearing the soil from the shed.

Knowing very well the impact of heavy rains on such facilities, the contractors should have taken extra precaution to prevent the damage not only to the newly constructed road but also to the paddy fields lying nearby. It is hoped that the administration will take proper steps to rectify these shortcomings and advice the contractors to fulfil their obligation so that the public are not put to unnecessary inconvenience and the public funds are not wasted.