TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: The PWD’s inability to maintain the high-powered pumps
in working condition has left the 15-MLD water treatment plant at
Shristhal inefficient in supplying treated water to residents
despite availability of the commodity.
It may be recalled that Canacona MLA and Sports Minister Ramesh
Tawadkar had censured the PWD (water supply) officials three days
ago for their failure to utilize water available in various water
bodies in the taluka.
“Fortunately for the PWD, there is no dearth of water with the
Chapoli Dam holding enough. Even at Ordhofond there is enough
water, but the problem is PWD has no proper provision or
management to tap the resources in a proper manner,” complained a
resident.
According to PWD Junior Engineer Deepraj Madkaikar, in-charge at
the 15 MLD water treatment plant at Shristhal, the plant gets only
up to 6 MLD of water supply from the Chapoli reservoir and the
Ordhofond pump house.
“A minimum of 10 MLD of water should be made available at the
treatment plant to meet the present water needs of consumers
during April and May,” said Madkaikar.
“Two pumps at the Ordhofond pump house, which have developed
fault, are still not operational and this has severely affected
supply to various localities.” According to PWD sources, the
faulty pumps are not being rectified by the company. “No service
engineer of the company is willing to attend to the faulty pumps,
as their bills of lakhs of rupees are still unpaid,” said a
source.
There are some areas which hardly receive water for about half an
hour and that too only on alternate days. Left with no option,
residents have to rely on water tankers, but there are growing
complaints these do not reach all affected parts of the taluka.
Except for Chapoli Dam and the Ordhofond pump house, PWD is facing
a daunting task to tap water from other water bodies, such as
those at Xelpem (Khola) and Deva-Tallem (Parvem-Agonda), as they
have already gone dry.
