FLOODGATES are intentionally being damaged to allow seawater and fish to enter the system designed to prevent flooding.
This was revealed by Western Drainage Board chairman Vinod Kumar who’s been tasked with overseeing 41 flood and flat gate schemes across the region.
“Sometimes they throw stones and timber into the floodgate to stop it from closing,” Mr Kumar said in an interview yesterday.
“They do this to let fish come through and they go there to fish.
“This causes a lot of problems for us because we are trying to prevent these places from flooding.”
Mr Kumar also highlighted the growing amount of waste being cleared by their contractors.
“We are taking out everything from big metal items, diapers and plastic waste.
“Then there is the green waste too.”
Mr Kumar said crops grown on riverbanks tend to end up with the debris blocking off main waterways.
“We understand why people want to plant near the river, but if you know that the area floods a lot, move to another spot.
“We see big banana trees and pawpaw trees being washed away and it is just a waste.
“It brings more problems for us.”
Mr Kumar said most drainage systems in affected areas had been cleared while work had now shifted to sugar cane farms.
“We have been approached by the Sugar Cane Growers Fund to carry out some work and we will meet with farmers in Tavua too to discuss what we will do before work begins.”
