Farmers suffer due to damaged padi fields

BINGKOR assemblyman Justin Guka wants the related ministries to rectify issues over  the levelling of padi planting fields in the district which had been abandoned for years and causing Iocal farmers to lose their income.

He said some 150 padi planters from three villages are badly affected after the project initiated in 2009 was halted, leaving damaged fields unsuitable for planting the crop.

"The land owners involved are facing problems because they have not been able to plant their crops since the past three years," he said, urging the government to take immediate steps to remedy the situation.
Justin, who was debating on theHead of State's speech during the state assembly sitting here yesterday, said the project was implemented three years ago under the state's food security progamme to help increase the output of padi planters in the area.

However, he said the contractor entrusted with the project had bailed out after only 10 percent of th€work was completed as they did not have sufficient machineries and technical abilities to complete the job.
"This is the third year the planters could not use the land which have been damaged by the contractor involved." he added.

Justin, in requesting the authority concerned to look into the matter, also proposed compensation to be given to help ease the financial burden of the affected planters.
He also urged the govemment to explain to them measures that would be taken to undo the damage to their land and help them resume planting of the crop as soon as possible.

Source: The Borneo Post