Communities along the Mahaica and Mahaicony creeks were last evening facing “the usual watching and waiting situation” that has plagued the area during excessive rainfall as water being discharged from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) continued to rise in the area.
While the areas experienced sunshine for most of the day yesterday, residents in the affected communities told Stabroek News that more than 90% of the farmlands in the area were under water as the water levels rose
The Agriculture Ministry noted on Saturday that high water levels in the EDWC forced its management to discharge water out of the Maduni and Lama Sluices.
Yesterday, it was noted by persons along the Mahaica Creek that the rice farmers have been the most affected since many were last week making last ditch efforts to save their rice fields. However the inundation over the last day or so affected this.
Amaldass Ramdass noted from his Big Baiboo, Mahaica Creek home that the water level had been rising since Saturday morning within his surroundings, noting, “more than three feet of water in the bottom flat of my house”.
Though the family made preparations for a rise in the water level, Ramdass noted that his plant nursery which he had been saving since last week when another controlled discharge of water from the conservancy was made, had been destroyed. He said, “I glad if the media could come in here and see what we goin through even though we prepare for it ..it just looking bad”.
Another resident along the Mahaica Creek noted that the water level during a similar discharge of water in 2009, was high but he noted yesterday that “the water deh couple inch below that 2009 level and with the level rising it will go pass that level”.
Meantime, along the Mahaicony Creek, residents were relying on sunshine as waters swamped their surroundings, destroying cash crops and rice farms in the process.
According to Arjune (only name given) of Pine Ground, Mahaicony Creek, “we just sitting up here in the house watching the water rise ..we can only watch ..is the usual watching and waiting”.
Residents of surrounding communities of Mora Point, Gordon Table, Water Dog and Bara Bara, among others all faced similar problems and several cash crop farmers in those communities expressed frustration at the on-going situation. According to a cash crop farmer from Pine Ground, the authorities had notified persons in the area that the rice farmers would be given priority in terms of support since they are believed to have suffered more losses.
He said that while the situation persists, cash crop farmers depended almost daily on the sale of their produce to make a living and as such, he called on the authorities to address the plight of cash crop farmers urgently.
Officials of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and the Agriculture Ministry have been visiting the communities to monitor the situation and residents expressed hope last evening that the controlled discharge of water from the conservancy would cease within the next 24 hours.
Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud told this newspaper on Saturday that the controlled discharge of water in the area will continue until the level is safe. The agency in a release, urged residents in low-lying areas along the coast and inland regions to take maximum precautions, adding, “all the relevant agencies are on a high state of responsiveness and alert”.
