PANJIM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on international visitors to celebrate the upcoming ‘Sao Joao’ festival which is coming up in Goa soon, saying India is a land of festivals. We have festivals around the year all over the country, Modi said while referring to the ensuing Sao Joao festival celebrated in Goa on June 24, on the occasion of the feast of St John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus.
Addressing, G-20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting virtually, Modi said, “India is a land of festivals. We have festivals around the year all over the country. In Goa, the ‘Sao Joao’ festival is coming up soon but there is another festival that you must visit the ‘Festival of Democracy’ in the mother of democracy,” PM Modi said in his virtual addresses to the delegation for G-20 Tourism Ministers Meeting.
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Even as Modi is aiming to internationalise the festival of Sao Joao of Goa, ironically Goans themselves are seriously staring at a water crisis.
Monsoon is delayed and most water resources are drying up, casting a big question mark on the celebration of the festival of Sao Joao, where the use of water in celebrations is paramount.
Francisco Nunes of Chicalim said, “The government’s ‘Har ghar Jal’ should not be an empty slogan. They should actually supply water to villagers. Bogmalo, Chicalim and New Vaddem are facing water shortages over a period of 10 days. Water is a basic necessity. The PWD should understand it. Some areas are supplied water with tankers, but people who live on slopes have to carry buckets of water all the way to the top. They should give at least one hour of tap water supply.”
“In certain areas of Pernem taluka, one local said they receive water supply for only 30 minutes to one hour. Building tanks to store water is a good idea, but panchayats should dig wells in every two wards. There is no water in many parts of Pernem. Women face serious issues with washing utensils and clothes,” he added.
Yogeeta Palyenkar said that for about 10 days they are not getting drinking water. “All the village women have to go to the village spring to wash utensils and clothes,” she said.
She demanded that the water supply be resumed. Tanker-supplied water is available only to houses by the roadside,” she complained.
Videos from across Goa, with Herald TV, showed that elderly women fill water into drums from water tankers. They then have to carry the water all the way to their houses.
