Essequibo rice lands still flooded
-30 % of rice crop spoiled
Several farmers on the Essequibo Coast have suffered losses as a result of their lands being under water for days after flooding from rains and Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt told Stabroek News that some lands are still inundated.
Speaking to this newspaper via telephone he explained that the pumps in the affected communities are working but noted that some of the water regulators in the region have been non-functioning. This he said has resulted in excessive water on the lands.
He explained that a few of the regulators which monitor the water levels in the main drains and the conservancy are in need of maintenance.
Ramdatt added that he is yet to hear from the Ministry of Agriculture on how they plan to assist the region. The Regional Chairman had called on the ministry to offer its assistance to assess the situation.
It was reported that water accumulated during the excessive rainfall has completely receded from residential lands.
Stabroek News understands that about 30% of the crop of affected farmers has spoiled.
President of the Essequibo
Chamber of Commerce Roopan Ramotar yesterday told this newspaper that water levels have dropped significantly. However, he explained that in the communities of Devonshire Castle and Hampton Court, lands remain under water as there is little drainage. He noted that this is as a result of the construction of the pump in the area. He iterated that the situation could have been avoided if alternative drainage and irrigation assessments were put in place.
With the construction of the pump station, main drainage canals are blocked resulting in poor drainage.
“I made a recommendation about four months ago to the NDIA (National Drainage and Irrigation Authority) board but they failed to act. I told them that we need a temporary pump at Devonshire Castle but they failed to install it. The pump needed to be installed by the last week in November because they know December/January is the rainy period. We need an alternative system in place given that the drains are blocked to allow the construction of the pump station,” Ramdatt had told Stabroek News in a previous report.