PANJIM: The industry is feeling let down by the state government as it went back to the promise that the rate of raw water supplied to the industry will be rectified. In fact the promise was made by Late Manohar Parrikar as Chief Minister but it was never formalised in last three years. Verna Industries
Association has received a notice dated August 28, 2020 from the field officer of Goa State Industries Corporation to pay the outstanding raw water arrears amounting to Rs 3,04,87,320 (about Rs 3.48 crore) within ten days.
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According to the industry it is a “breach of promise” and at this Covid-19 times when they are already going through a very bad phase, it has completely jolted them.
In a letter to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant dated August 20, 2020, the President of Goa State Industries Association (GSIA), Damodar Kochkar had written, “You will kindly recall that, at the Annual Function of GSIA on 28th June 2019, where you were the Chief Guest, you had promised our members that the assurance for reduction of raw water rate to Rs 10 per cubic metre given to Verna industries by ex-Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar would be honoured in three months’ time. Since then, we have been following up this issue with you and in our meeting with you in February 2020, you informed us that WRD has worked out the cost of pumping raw water from S. I. P. D2-D3 Canal at Davorlim village to Verna Industrial Estate at Rs 9.60 per cm3 and, therefore, the industries should agree to pay Rs 15 per cm3, that is Rs 10 to WRD and Rs 5 to Goa-IDC. The proposed raw water charges at Rs. 15 per cm3 were agreed by us.”
The letter further said that “let us know if this proposal of fixing raw water charges at Rs 15 per cm3 can be acceded or not,
failing which, the industries can decide on alternate arrangements for raw water to cut cost. We feel the Government should agree to charge Rs 15 per cm3 in order to avoid supply of raw water through tankers from nearby wells which causes severe depletion of ground water table and environmental damage to the villages surrounding Verna Industrial Estate.”
At present even after the promise to reduce it to Rs 10 by the then CM Manohar Parrikar, the price of raw water still happens to be at Rs 25 per cubic litre.
Speaking to Herald the President of GSIA Damodar Kochkar said, “After three years of follow up with government and after giving assurance by two of BJP CM’s, the Goa government is taking U- turn and threatening industries to pay dues of difference amount or else matter will be referred to revenue department for recovery.This is really pathetic state of affairs by this government. Instead of supporting Industries in these trying times of pandemic they are making it more difficult for us to survive.”
Pradip A.P. da Costa, President of the Verna Industries Association told Herald that, “The Government has been dilly-dallying with the adhering to the commitment on fixing the Raw Water pricing for years now. Our Late Hon CM Manohar Parrikar during the inauguration of the Raw Water Storage at VIE, on Dusshera of 2017, had promised and assured that that the Raw Water Pricing would for Industries operating in VIE would be Rs 10 per Cubic Litre. Furthermore, the late CM Manohar Parrikar, in his budget speech of FY-2018/19 under Scheme for Raw Water that the Rate of Raw Water for Industries in Verna would be Rs 10 per m3. And he further stated that under Investment Promotion Board a flat rate of Rs 5 per m3 payable to WRD and a further Rs 5 per m3 payable to GIDC if Raw Water was supplied to Industry through GIDC.”
Pradip da Costa added that, “The charge of Rs 25 per m3 that GIDC is now putting on industries is totally absurd. All of us industries at Verna have taken a joint stand that we shall pay only Rs 10 per m3 irrespective of what they bill each industry, till the government ratifies this decision.”
