PONDA: Despite the presence of the Opa Water Works plant in the taluka, residents of Ponda and Dharbandora are facing an acute water shortage, sending shockwaves through the community. While Opa has been supplying water to Ponda and Tiswadi for numerous years, the surrounding villages ironically find themselves grappling with scarcity.
Years ago, the Public Works Department (PWD) initiated the construction of a water treatment plant in Ganjem, with the promise of quenching the thirst of residents in Usgao and Priol. Presently, the PWD relies on water supply from the banks of the Dudhsagar river through filters, but the rapid population growth is placing tremendous strain on the existing system.
Despite the persistent water shortage, the water tank constructed at Dhavshire-Usage has been left idle for years. The PWD repaired the tank three years ago, prompting local residents to express their discontent over the department's lack of initiative in putting it to use. “PWD supplies water through tankers in the Shiroda area, but with the expansion of the locality, the pipelines that were laid years ago urgently need replacement. The wells dry up during the month of May, exacerbating the plight of the locals,”lamented Suraj Naik, the Shiroda BJP Bloc president.
According to the PWD office, two tankers are dispatched regularly to the Shiroda panchayat area. They have assured that this arrangement will persist until the water level in the wells returns to normal with the onset of the monsoon season.
In the meantime, non-Goan residents residing in the Usagao panchayat area have yet to receive water connections, leaving them reliant on public taps. During a recent gram sabha, concerned locals raised the issue of people using the public taps for washing their vehicles, resulting in wastage of precious water resources.