NT Reporter | Margao
Acting on directions of the High Court of Bombay at Goa, a high-level team on Tuesday conducted an inspection of ‘Moddoranchem torem’, the traditional waterbody in Assolna that has become the centre of a dispute over paddy cultivation and water management. The matter is scheduled to come up before the court again on December 9.
The inspection team comprised officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD), the Agriculture Department, members of the Assolna biodiversity committee, and a group of local farmers.
The High Court had earlier asked the state government to find a workable solution to the issue of cultivation of a field located within the waterbody.
Villagers, who have long relied on the lake, maintain that ‘Moddoranchem torem’ plays a crucial role in irrigating fields in the lower reaches. They argue that storing water in the lake is essential for sustaining traditional farming practices.
However, an aggrieved farmer approached the court, claiming that water stored in the lake leads to submergence of his field. Following his petition, the court had directed the deputy collector to submit a report on the issue.
Subsequently, the High Court issued fresh directions asking the WRD and the Agriculture Department to produce an updated report reflecting the ground realities.
This report is expected to be submitted to the court by December 6.
Several farmers, opposing the petitioner’s claims, said that the petitioner’s late sowing and harvesting—he reportedly harvested as late as November—had disrupted the traditional timeline for forming ‘Moddorachem tollem’, a practice followed for generations.
They argued that the delayed operations caused losses to downstream farmers who rely on the waterbody, and urged authorities to take note of the impact on their livelihoods and consider compensation.
