Radhica De Silva
Penal residents protested yesterday, accusing a pensioner of diverting a major river and putting their homes at risk of flooding.
The demonstrators confronted pensioner Ajodha Pooran, who claimed he spent $150,000 to alter the course of the Black Water Channel, a tributary of the South Oropouche River, in an attempt to stop erosion near his property. However, residents argued that his actions could worsen flooding in the surrounding areas.
Resident Michelle Ramdeo said the Batchya region already experiences severe flooding, and the river diversion could bring even more devastation.
“We are watching the skies, and we are very anxious and worried. We have experienced floods in this area, and now that the river has been diverted, we expect even more floods,” Ramdeo said.
Farmer Dhaniram Latchman also expressed concern for his livestock.
“I already lost a few animals in floods in the past, and now that they have done this to the river, we are all worried,” he said. He called on the relevant agencies to investigate and fix the watercourse back to its original flow.
During the protest, residents also met with Oropouche West MP Davendranath Tancoo and Penal/Debe Regional Corporation chairman Gowtam Maharaj, demanding urgent intervention.
Both Tancoo and Maharaj told Pooran that his attempts to divert the river were illegal.
Tancoo said unregulated development has significantly contributed to flooding issues in the area.
“When people take matters into their own hands without proper engineering oversight, the entire community suffers,” he stated.
Pooran admitted that he did not seek or obtain written approval from the Ministry of Works before diverting the tributary, which is a main outflow from the South Oropouche drainage basin.
He said, though, the work was needed urgently.
“Right now the river is 50 feet away from my house. Every time the amphibian excavator comes to go into the river, it widens the river. Bandits swam across the river and robbed men but nobody cares about that,” he said.
Pooran denied the diversion of the river would cause flooding saying he was widening it from eight feet to 10 feet.
“I am cleaning the river and diverting it so it will flow better. This will not affect anybody. Nobody is affected. I am changing the course of the river to save my home, my fruit trees and my animals. I am not blocking the watercourse. I am re-routing the river, making it better than it is right now,” he added.
He noted that if the authorities attempted to stop the project, he did not plan to comply.
“I am on my land, and I am not interfering with anybody. I have umpteen reasons to change the watercourse,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan said he did not have the specifics of the river diversion, stating that he was awaiting a report from the Drainage Division.
He said his ministry would assess the situation before taking action.
“We are awaiting a report on the matter. Once we receive it, we will determine the next steps,” Sinanan said.
