Dear Editor,
During rice harvesting and rice land preparation times, we the residents and road users are put in a precarious situation of pollution along the East Bank Essequibo roadway, particularly from Vergenoegen to Orangestein. Rice farmers are polluting our roadway with huge chunks of mud that their machines bring out from the backdam.
When wet, the road becomes extra slippery and oh so nasty. It’s very dangerous for other road users such as schoolchildren, pedal cyclists, etc. Children and cyclists are sometimes forced to walk and ride in the middle of the road just so they can avoid slipping in the mud that coats the side of the road. Thus, putting them in a more dangerous position.
When dry, we are faced with a next problem… severe dust pollution. Not only do we have to wipe our windows, doors, etc everyday but we have to hole up like hermits in our home just to avoid the dust. The dust is affecting our babies, our elderly, those who are suffering from severe allergies, actually it’s affecting all of us.
When approached about this situation, rice farmers are quick to point out that they put food on our tables. Seems as though we don’t.pay for our rice. They are quick to curse at us and ask where we want them to drive if not on the road. I wish to point out that at every dam head there is a concrete floor for the sole purpose of washing off the mud from tractors and combines before attempting to drive on the road. I’m yet to see one rice farmer use that. Either they are too lazy to get off their machines and take a wood and push off all the mud from their tyres or tracks before driving onto the road or they just don’t give a damn. Or maybe, they have been allowed for too long to continue with this nonsense that they don’t see the danger of their actions or don’t have any consideration for residents or other road users.
Only last week, a resident was heading home with her three small kids in the car when a car approaching from the opposite direction sped over a lump of mud and sent it straight into the side of her car. Upon inspection, she said there was a small but deep dent on her right rear fender. Who should she look to for compensation for that damage? In the nights vehicles can be heard skidding and screeching just to avoid the huge lumps of mud left on our dark roadways. This same nonsense being perpetrated by rice farmers has cost a few lives and a lot of injuries already over the years but as usual, they would never see their contribution to that.
Also, most of the tractors and combines on the roadways have little or no documentation. Some of the drivers are unlicensed. These machines have little or no lights or reflectors. When are the police going to step in?
Officers of the law please enforce whatever rules and regulations there are to ensure these farmers comply in keeping our roads safe.
The EPA has been silent for too long. Visit and see what we as residents on the East Bank of Essequibo have to go through with this dust.
When will someone listen to us?
Yours faithfully,
Deeroop Mahadeo
Anna Singh
Mark Walcott
Liloutie Jagan
Suraj Persaud
