A quiet crisis is boiling over in South Goa. In the talukas of Salcete and Canacona, taps have been running dry for ten to twelve days at a stretch. Families are now forced to buy water from private tankers. Frustration is rising and protests are brewing. But this water crisis is not a sudden disaster — it is a result of long-term, systemic neglect. And the most painful truth is that it was entirely
preventable.
South Goa’s Congress MP, Captain Viriato Fernandes on Wednesday confronted the PWD demanding immediate action. But his real question hit at the heart of the matter: Why has this crisis emerged in a state that was declared “water-certified” by the Prime Minister just three years ago?
In August 2022, Goa was hailed as the first Indian state where every household had tap water access. Yet, in 2025, people still face the grim irony of having taps but no water. Promises of 16,000 litres of free water per household were quietly dropped. Even the reduced assurance of four hours of daily supply remains unfulfilled in many areas. What good are certifications when the basic needs of citizens remain unmet?
The truth is stark: Goa lacks a long-term master plan. Not just for water but for electricity, housing, roads and every key pillar of infrastructure. The water shortages are just one symptom of a much larger disease called planning paralysis.
Take the Tilari Dam in Maharashtra, for example. Crores have been spent by the Goa government, yet the state continues to get little in return. Meanwhile, over one crore tourists visit Goa each year, putting enormous pressure on local infrastructure. Yet, the needs of the ‘original sons of the soil’ Goa’s residents are repeatedly ignored. Local anger is not just understandable; it’s justified.
Electricity is another gaping wound. Goa imports its power and subsidises it, but with mounting financial losses, a new tariff hike was recently imposed. While the increase may be economically necessary, the government's selective enforcement is infuriating. Ordinary people face swift disconnection for non-payment, while influential defaulters with crores in arrears go untouched. The opposition claims outstanding dues have reached Rs 600 crore, a figure the administration has neither confirmed nor denied. Where is the accountability?
Recovery mechanisms have failed. Even when courts ruled against defaulting cable operators, bureaucrats who attempted enforcement were punished instead of supported. The electricity department suffers from mismanagement and political interference. It’s time to consider a separate, professional recovery and audit body to bring financial discipline to this critical sector.
Meanwhile, talk of setting up a floating nuclear power plant in Goa sparked public outcry and rightly so. Energy Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s suggestion drew sharp criticism until the Chief Minister backtracked. But the larger question remains: why are such controversial ideas even being floated? Once again, it’s due to the absence of a comprehensive master plan rooted in sustainability and public interest.
Despite subsidies, solar energy adoption remains low. Recovery periods are too long, and awareness is lacking. If the government truly wants to promote green energy, it must make solar technology affordable and educate the public. Goa had once announced plans to generate power using the waters of the Mhadei , but that, like many other green promises, has vanished into thin air.
The same refrain echoes across sectors: no planning, no foresight, no execution. Every time Union Minister Nitin Gadkari visits Goa to inaugurate a new flyover, he reminds the state government about its missing master plan. Perhaps next time, the government should listen.
Goa’s identity, culture, and future are being sacrificed at the altar of unregulated development. Residents now say with pain and resignation, that Goa no longer belongs to Goans. They are not wrong.
If the government wants to regain public trust, it must plan for the next 50 years, not just the next election cycle. This master plan must be transparent, people-centric, and inclusive. Otherwise, the state will continue to stumble from one crisis to another, and the people already weary, will seek justice not from their representatives, but from the courts.