Team Herald
BICHOLIM: The Sal gram sabha on Sunday resolved not to let the authorities to lay the plates of the dam in the village till their problem of water is resolved completely.
Supply of 24-hour drinking water was the most important demand made by the villagers at the gram sabha, which was attended by a large number of women.
“The government has constructed a dam in the village which supplies water to the entire North Goa, but we are suffering without water,” Khushi Raut complained.
It may be stated that WRD constructed a raw water pumping station on Chapora River at Sal to supply 100 MLD of raw water to the water treatment plant at Assonora and to supplement Amthane dam. The drinking water of Padoshe –Sanquelim water treatment plant is supplied to Sal village which is not sufficient and the government is supplying water from Chapora River to other talukas.
The villagers have time and again demanded construction of mini water treatment plant in the village, but this demand has fallen on deaf ears; the villagers have received only assurances. Today, during the gram sabha, all these details were discussed and finally it was resolved that the mahila mandals along with the villagers would stop the authorities from laying the plates of the dam in the village. It may be noted that if this happens the entire North Goa would be severely affected with shortage of water.
The gram sabha also discussed the issue of construction of crematorium by the government in the village. The villagers sought to know as to why the government cannot acquire the land of devasthan and construct crematorium in the village.
“If the government can acquire land for construction of dam in the village why they are demanding NOCs from us when they can acquire the land of devasthan and construct crematorium there,” a villager said.
Besides this several other issues including opposition of dam turning into tourist place, gutters, government schemes were also discussed during the meeting.
