Farmers of Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara are frustrated at the state of one of the main trenches which has been causing major flooding to their farmlands and are calling on the authorities to take action.
Ganesh Gopaul, a coconut and cash crop farmer said he is frustrated since every time it rains, his farm floods which causes significant damage to his crop. “The reason why most of the lands are flooding is because of the drain there that is full of vegetation. The water can’t flow properly since it’s heavily clogged,” Gopaul said, adding that the trench had not been cleared for almost six months. He pointed out the Ann’s Grove trench, which runs parallel and was recently cleaned.
“Even though that trench doesn’t affect any farmlands it was cleaned but this one is hasn’t been,” he added. According to Gopaul, at least 50 farmers are being affected by the clogged trench and the last time, about three months ago, when there was heavy rainfall he lost about $400,000 in crops.
Gopaul and the other farmers are pleading to the authorities to quickly assist them in the light of the impending rainy season that could cause major damage to their farmlands and could see them suffering huge financial losses.
