18
We are restricted by budget - Dr. Reddy
M
inister for
Agriculture
and
Waterways,
Dr. Mahendra Reddy
says they are restricted by
budget and will do dredging
works on drains that are
“emergency ones” in this
financial year.
Dr. Reddy told this to
a farmer of Naselai while
answering a question during
a meeting with farmers at
Lakena in Nausori.
The farmer of Naselai
had raised concerns that
they were promised that
agricultural drains will be
dredged in August this year,
however this did not happen
and the recent downpour
resulted in the flooding of
their farms.
In response, Dr. Reddy
stated that farmers are
cultivating right to the edge
of the drains which is not
helping the situation.
Dr. Reddy says the current
drains cannot hold the
volume of water and this is
why they have started to re-
do the drainage system.
He has also revealed that
they have decided to dredge
the Waidamudamu river as
this river is totally silted and
the project will cost over
$20 million.
The Ministry of
The Auckland Times | Issue 185| October 15, 2019
Waterways and Environment
was provided with a
budgetary allocation of $1
million for improvement
of farmland drainage in the
2019/2020 National Budget.
$500,000 was provided
for irrigation support for
farm development and
$1 milllion was provided
for the Drainage for
Rural Residential Areas
Programme for improvement
of drainage in waterlogged
areas.
An allocation of $3
million was also provided
through the Drainage
and Flood Protection
Programme.