Crops in more than 50 acres of land in Aloor panchayat here have been damaged due to waterlogging, which has developed allegedly after the illegal construction of a check-dam.
A check-dam constructed at Vaduvanthode at Ayyan Padka has been a bone of contention for the past four years. It has allegedly led to flooding in over 50 acres of farmland at Manattukunnu, Aloor and Thazhakkad, belonging to 60-odd farmers. Crops including vegetables, nutmeg, plantain, areca nut and coconut have been damaged, with farmers pegging the losses over four years at ₹60 lakh.
However, farmers were not given any compensation as it was classified as man-made crop loss, said Raman Namboodiri, chairman of Karshaka Samithi, Ayyan Padka.
Following years of legal battle by farmers, the High Court directed the authorities to form a committee led by the District Collector with farmers and panchayat officials as members.
Though a meeting was held in February, no decision was taken, said farmers. They alleged that the construction of a check-dam every year at Ayyan Padka was part of the strategy of the sand mafia to acquire farmlands at cheap rates. If crops got destroyed every year, farmers would be forced to sell their land, they added.
The check-dam has been creating two different issues for two panchayats. “If acres of farmland at getting destroyed due to waterlogging in Aloor, farmers in Velukkara are struggling due to water shortage,” said Vaxarin Perappadan, district president of Loktantrik Yuva Janata Dal.
With the lockdown in place, farmers were a helpless lot as they could not submit complaints to the authorities, said Mr. Namboodiri. The farmers have sought the urgent intervention of the Agriculture Minister in the issue.
.png?w=600)
