Reddy: Farmers Will Be Prosecuted If Found Planting In Public Drains
Minister for Waterways Mahendra Reddy has reiterated that farmers found plating root crops in public drains would be prosecuted.
Mr Reddy made said this at the talanoa session in Barara Settlement along Sigatoka Valley Road on Monday.
Consisting of more than 1000 families, Mr Reddy said drainage was one of the major issues he noticed during his visits around the country.
“We have seen that people are fond of planting taro and dumping their waste in public drains, remember this is Government’s property and we will prosecute anyone doing this.
“Dumping waste in drains and planting taro, blocks the waterways and it affects water flow because the drains are clogged with rubbish or root crops.
“The ministry is responsible for cleaning these drains and we will not clean the drains if we see that rubbish or taro are planted in these drains,” Mr Reddy said.
He said there was a need to fix drainage systems in certain settlements and villages along the Sigatoka Valley Road since it was a flood prone area.
Barara Advisory Councilor, Arishma Patel said sometimes she would find it difficult to speak to the farmers because they would never listen to her.
“I always tell them to clean the drains on their farms, but some just never listen and when the drains get clogged with rubbish, they complain.
“They should be grateful that the Government is helping them especially in trying to fix the drainage systems,” Ms Patel said.
Edited by Losirene Lacanivalu
arieta.vakasukawaqa@fijisun.com.fj
