Residents not confident of drainage structures

Heavy rainfall from Thursday night which continued sporadically throughout yesterday has caused floodwater levels to rise again along the East Coast Demerara (ECD).
Greenfield, Beehive, Ann’s Grove, low lying areas in Clonbrook and Annandale, Haslington, Bachelor’s Adventure, Bare Root and several other villages along the Railway Embankment are once again battling floodwaters.

Faulty and non-functioning kokers and poor maintenance of drainage trenches have been blamed for the swift accumulation of water on the land. Residents, whose frustration has been steadily increasing, believe that these key structures are the main reason why water is not draining away speedily.

For some, after almost one month of enduring inches of floodwater, there appears to be no hope of being free of it as long as excess rainfall continues to plague the region. The brown water which often gives off a rank scent has washed away residents’ crops and killed livestock but worse it has eroded their peace of mind, stripped them of their strength and condemned them to live in an unhealthy environment.

Many have tried in their own way to explain how the anxiety from living in such a situation over a prolonged period has affected them. Farmers have asked for compensation or even the provision of their basic necessities since they will not be able to work the land until it has had time to dry out.

This motorcyclist was having a hard time yesterday manoeuvring his way over the tube situated across the Dochfour Access Road. In the background is one of the tractor pumps working to keep the area dry.

Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud had stated that farmers will not be compensated by cash but will receive other forms of assistance. In an invited comment last evening in relation to the compensation of Greenfield/Dochfour (includes Ann’s Grove, Clonbrook, Hope Estate and Lowlands) farmers the minister only stated that the ministry will be approaching various financial institutions about providing financial assistance to these farmers.

However, farmers informed Stabroek News that “discussions” and “promises” will not put them at ease. The ministry needs to set the ball in motion, farmers said, and only then would they believe that they will be helped.

Although compensation is an important concern to farmers there are more pressing matters on their minds. Many are skeptical that the pumps and gravity drainage can manage the expected rainfall.

In its forecast for yesterday to next Thursday the Hydrometeorological Service stated “most of Guyana can expect wet to extremely wet periods”. Heavy showers, they said, are likely, especially over Regions Two to Six and Region Ten.

Dochfour: Battling to stay dry
Excess rainfall could very well ruin Dochfour’s efforts to keep the water off their land, residents said.
All that remains in the community is slushy mud but areas within Dochfour’s immediate vicinity are battling the challenges of rising, and in some cases, fluctuating floodwater.

Walking the plank: Fluctuating floodwater at Greenfield is forcing many to walk over narrow elevated planks.

When Stabroek News visited the area yesterday afternoon two tractor pumps were in full swing extruding water from the Dochfour trench to its main drainage canal. However, as in the past the canal’s capacity is questionable.

A makeshift dam constructed of the soft mud removed from the bed of the Dochfour canal had been erected along the bank to increase its capacity. The dam appears to have sunk and the water was about two inches from overtopping it.

At the beginning of the Dochfour Access Road there is no dam and the water from the canal is level with the road. If the water level continues to increase then it will inundate the village again, residents said.

The Hope koker, Dochfour’s main drainage source which also relieves Hope Estate and the Lowlands Housing Scheme, has failed to do the job. An aged, partially collapsed, sunken groyne has been blamed for the easy silting of the koker which prevents it from functioning as it should.

Clean-up

Meanwhile, the ECD Clean-up Committee has issued a notice to several drainage authorities informing them of the various drainage and irrigation problems that need to be addressed in Beehive, Clonbrook, Ann’s Grove, Two Friends, Hope and Lowlands.

Residents from these communities met on January 4 and 5 at the Ann’s Grove Village Office to discuss the disposal of garbage in the current flood conditions and improvement of the drainage and irrigation system. Copies of the notice were sent to the National Drainage and Irrigation Board (NDIB), the Region Four Regional Democratic Council, Grove/Haslington Neighbour-hood Democratic Council, Ministry of Agriculture and several other organisations.

Stabroek News was able to examine of copy of this notice. It listed the Hope koker as one of the main drainage kokers which needed immediate attention. According to the notice, the koker’s groyne needs rebuilding, weeds and domestic garbage are choking some side-line trenches and a new culvert was needed between Middle Walk and the Dochfour Dam.

However, it further stated that “the makeshift attempt to divert water from the main Dochfour trench to Greenfield is having little effect, despite two pumps being in place”. Greenfield is one of the communities which have been under water for several weeks as well and its drainage system is also facing challenges.

During Stabroek News’ visit to Greenfield yesterday residents were very concerned about water being diverted from Dochfour into their community since their drainage system is “having enough trouble pushing off the excess water in Greenfield”.

Efforts were made to contact Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth about this situation, however; he could not be reached up to late last evening.