Rafiabad: Farmers in Rafiabad staged a protest against the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department, alleging gross negligence and apathy towards their pressing concerns. They claimed that despite repeated pleas, the department has failed to address the growing water crisis in the region.
The aggrieved farmers said they had knocked on the doors of the I&FC office in Watergam several times, but their grievances were ignored. They alleged that encroachments along canals are rampant, and the water channels are depleting rapidly, making it difficult to irrigate their paddy fields during the crucial cultivation season.
“The canals and streams are drying up, and if the situation continues, there will be a severe scarcity of irrigation water,” said one of the protesting farmers.
They further alleged that the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of the Watergam division is often absent from his office and remains unresponsive. “Whenever we visit, the AEE is not present. Instead, he seems more engaged on WhatsApp with other officials, who themselves are neither punctual nor responsive,” the farmers claimed.
Accusing the officials of having a rude and dismissive attitude, the protesters urged higher authorities to intervene immediately to save the agricultural lifeline of Rafiabad.
