FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024
SRINIVAS KAMAT
With the summer heat increasing and frequent disruptions in water supply, because of ruptures in pipelines, it is getting to be more and more difficult to lead a normal life. People in some areas of Panjim city are facing more problems because of the Smart City works having damaged and/or clogged water pipelines. Some areas of Panjim, Taleigao and Santa Cruz are the worst affected.
To alleviate these problems, it was reported that out of the three tankers that the PWD has, effectively there is just one tanker to service these areas and even that had broken down. Out of the other two, one was out of order and the other more than 15 year old. What is this state of affairs? For supplying water to three constituencies, including the capital city, during contingencies there are just three tankers and at the present moment there are none! There should have been more tankers with the PWD to supply these areas and funds should have been provided to procure these much needed tankers. Is the Government not having the funds to procure the tankers or is it a complicit and corrupt bunch of officials who, taking the plea of no official tankers, encourage the hiring of private tankers, thus acting hand in glove with the ‘tanker mafia’?
When the Government spends crores on its anniversary celebrations and the G20 events, the people of Panjim, Taleigao and Santa Cruz at least deserve to have tankers to supply their critical needs for water, during these hot summer days. The problem with this Government and the Chief Minister heading it is, that they move around with their noses in the air not seeing the reality that lies underneath their feet like water shortages, bad roads, sewage overflow in places like Mala etc. They run around following their event management schedules like this inauguration, that festival, the other concert etc. and fool the people.
The Romans in medieval times followed a similar strategy when Rome was faced with famine and law and order problems such as the slave uprisings. Then Caesar would announce – ‘Let there be games. The people forgetting their problems would fill the arenas to watch games of skill and gladiator fights. The same thing is happening in Goa where one event follows another which makes the people forget serious problems that plague them and the state. The people of Panjim, Taleigao and Santa Cruz, in fact people all over Goa, should take to the streets to agitate demanding uninterrupted supply of water and power, good roads, proper garbage management etc. Otherwise nothing will happen and Goa and its people will continue to drift from one problem to another while the rulers continue to make merry.
