Zaiga, a viewer of the Bez Tabu program, lives near a regional road connecting Ventspils and Kuldiga. She has invested considerable effort, time, and money into her property, making it all the more painful for her to see the destruction, which she claims is due to the inaction of her neighbors, writes TV3.
The main reason for her despair, Zaiga sees in specific four-legged mammals — beavers. These inhabitants of the Venta River basin diligently and regularly build dams in the drainage ditches of neighboring farmers, demonstrating remarkable construction abilities.
To protect her property from flooding, Zaiga, along with her son, took on not only the control but also the elimination of the consequences. Using "what nature provided," namely their hands, the family declared war on the rodents' way of life.
However, at the beginning of October, Zaiga's health deteriorated, and her son was unable to clear the dense blockages that the beavers restore almost overnight.
The dam, built not only from branches but also from corn stalks, easily withstands the pressure of water as well as the weight of a 90-kilogram journalist.
Raivo Rudzitis, head of the drainage department at the Ministry of Agriculture's Forestry Department, emphasizes that regulatory requirements obligate farmers to take care of drainage systems, including drainage ditches.
According to him, the control over this lies in the hands of the ditch owners themselves. However, the enforcement of the law, including imposing fines for improper use of ditches, falls under the jurisdiction of the relevant municipality.
It is noteworthy that one of the plots located near the problematic ditches belongs to the Ventspils municipality itself.
"We are aware of the emergence of this problematic situation and the actions of the resident aimed at eliminating what she believes are the causes of the problem. The municipality has informed the relevant landowners, urging them to ensure the cleaning and maintenance of the common drainage ditch within a reasonable timeframe," the council stated.
The Bez Tabu program also contacted the Rural Support Service, which promised to conduct an inspection of the area. If violations are found, the agency may reduce the amount of financial support provided to farmers.
