SHILLONG:
Farmers growing crops along the Ritmawniew Bypass have alleged that the construction of the road has been haphazardly done by the contractor without giving a thought to the safety of their agricultural fields.
Maria Nongkhlaw, a farmer, said that before the construction of the bypass their fields were never flooded even if there was heavy rain but since the project began submergence of their fields is a regular affair.
Nongkhlaw also informed that she had asked the contractor involved in the project – SS Infrazone Private Ltd – to put in place some protection mechanism so that their fields are not affected.
“They assured us that they will build a wall but never did,” Nongkhlaw said.
The lady who owns land on both sides of the bypass said that this year alone she has incurred a loss of Rs two lakh due to flooding.
According to Nongkhlaw, she grows cauliflower, broccoli and peas.
“This year I got to harvest only once while earlier I harvested four times a year. This year I had got good money by selling peas and broccoli at Rs 90 per kilo, but I don’t think I will be able to grow anything more,” she said.
“This year we are running at a loss. We couldn’t even recover our labour cost,” Nongkhlaw said.
She also informed that the land acquired for the bypass project was also an agricultural field in the past.
When The Meghalayan visited the site on Sunday it was seen that the SS Infrazone Private Ltd has used sand mined from a hill opposite Baniun village called Lumdewsaw near the bypass.
It was also noticed that the rain had made the filling loose and the sand had flowed into the agricultural fields.
She also urged the state government to help them since whatever has happened is not only due to heavy rain but also due to the failure of the project.
“The farmlands have turned into a desert. The sand from the road construction flow into the farmlands,” Nongkhlaw said.
The Ritmawniew Bypass avoids the 7th Mile village and instead passes through the Shillong-Nongstoin road till it turns left from the Pomlum PHC and enters Baniun village. It skirts through the Baniun village till it reaches Mylliem Marbaniang village.
It may be mentioned that SS Infrazone Private Ltd has already abandoned the project.