Fallen retaining wall leaves farmer in lurch

The retaining wall constructed along a bridge providing connectivity to Yenithadka colony in Koila village of Uppinangady collapsed a year ago.

Since the damaged wall has not been repaired yet, a farmer in the region has been facing several problems.

As per the demand of the local residents a road was laid through Yenithadka colony to Alankaru town about four years ago, due to the efforts of Yashodha, the then Zilla Panchayat member representing this region.

This had made the local residents beam smiles. However, their happiness did not last for long. Within a year of construction of the bridge the retaining wall collapsed. The part of the damaged retaining wall and the debris got washed away in gushing rain water. This initially started affecting farmer Yogendra Naik’s farm land and slowly problems are being sensed in nearby areas.

There is a colony in Koila village, which houses Marati speaking Scheduled Tribe families. They have cultivated areca, coconut and various other crops for survival.

There are hundreds of families in the region which depend of agriculture for livelihood. The collapsed retaining wall is affecting farming activities of these families too but it has not yet become evident.

Though several years have passed, the retaining wall has not been repaired yet. As the years pass by the situation for Naik is getting tougher. Every year during rainy season productive areca trees have been getting uprooted and washed away in flowing rain water.

With various other problems created due to the collapse of the retaining wall, Naik is fed of incurring losses every year.

“I have made my grievances heard that all possible Janaspandana programmes and Grama Sabhas held in the region. It has not yielded any results so far. Officials have not even bothered to visit the spot.

Monsoon will start in a month or two and I am being gripped by anxiety because I know that the situation will be worse than last year,” said Naik.

The local residents say that if the retaining wall is not repaired, Naik’s farm will be will be lost anyways but there are also possibilities of the bridge collapsing this time.