SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2024
While the government is pushing its ‘Har Ghar Jal’ image, the reality in places like Pernem taluka is that there are many people who still depend on well water.
While most of the villages in Pernem taluka have tap connections, there are still some villages, which does not have 100% tap connections and are completely reliable on wells.
Only 20 to 25% of people in Keri village have water connection while the remaining village is completely dependent on wells for their water supply. When these villagers were asked as to why they have not availed for water connections is that the water connections that exist are not receiving proper water supply. Those who have water connections, say that they receive water only once or twice a week.
Similarly around 30 to 40% of houses in Arambol, Morjim village do not have water connection as the taps that people do have run dry most of the time. Here too, most of the people are completely dependent on well water.
Parts of Tuem, Chopde Agarwada, Parse also face similar issue of irregular water supply while villages, which are close to the Chandel treatment plant receive regular supply of water. Meanwhile few houses, which are located on heights such as at Mopa do not have water connection since it requires high pressure for water to reach there. These families are completely dependent on natural resources spring for water.
Most of the houses in villages such as Chandel, Hasapur, Varkhand, Kasarwane have their own wells but also get proper water supply from their tap connections. Pernem town, Paliem, Corgao, Torxem, Ugven, Tamboxem receive proper supply of water leaving aside when technical problems occur and water supply stops for almost 4 to 5 days.
The water treatment plant located at Chandel, treats 15 MLD drinking water per day, which is supplied to 22 villages of Pernem taluka.
From this 15 MLD, around 3MLD water is supplied to each village located at beach belt. But taking into consideration, the population and movement of tourists, the consumption of water is more in these villages; and the locals are constantly facing a water crisis.
People residing in the coastal belt of Mandrem have claimed that the issue of irregular water supply has become a routine issue, whereby they are forced to collect and store water for two to four days for their daily consumption.
With only 3 MLD of water supply to these particular villages such as Morjim, Arambol, Mandrem and Keri, many a times, the locals are forced to call private tankers of water.
