24/7 water supply in
Bardez a distant dream
Several parts of Bardez taluka have been facing water
shortage and irregular water supply for a while. Even the ruling MLAs let alone
the opposition are fed up and have started openly criticizing the pathetic
state of water distribution in Goa. The few places facing water crisis are
Colvale, Pomburpa, Mapusa, Anjuna, Arpora, Siolim, Chapora, Saligao, Verem,
Nerul, Pilerne and Porvorim. Time and again the people of Colvale have raised
the issue of water shortage in the village. “Last year the village and panchayat
of Colvale passed a resolution not to issue any license to commercial projects
till the water crisis was solved. The locals demand adequate water supply from
the PWD,” stated Manoj. Another resident of Chapora on condition of anonymity
told Herald that they do not receive PWD water every day or rather 24/7. “We
have to wait for water which comes only every alternate day,” she said. The
residents of Porvorim constituency have been victims to irregular and scarce
water supply for the last several years. A local from Porvorim, Soter D’souza
highlighted that Porvorim is placed at a very complicated position and hence
there is a problem of water supply. “Behind Damian De Goa in a ward called
Arrarim the residents receive 24 hours water supply because a PWD official was
living there. There is total injustice in the distribution of water supply in
this area and we barely receive water for an hour or two,” said Soter. One can
recall that last year in September, the former PWD Minister, Sudin Dhavlikar
had announced that Bardez taluka will be supplied with 24 hours water supply by
2019 after inaugurating the underpass at Bastora-Tar junction in Mapusa. “Rs. 361 crores will be spent for the
development of Bardez taluka by the PWD and the related files will be cleared
by November 15. The government is trying to give 24 hours water supply to
Bardez by 2019,” the minister had assured.
As mercury rises,
water supply in Salcete drops
Various parts of Salcete are reeling under a water crisis.
For instance, water shortage has hit the farming sector in Verna which has
affected the Verna irrigation project, bandharas repairs, new bandharas, pump
houses proposed projects as well as predicted produce.
The farmers are finally relying on desilting of the small
rivulets and other local sources of water. However despite this being a
recurring problem, there has been solution in sight to offer respite to their
woes.
Other areas are also facing issues of water supply to their
houses.
As far as tap water is concerned the people from Maina
Curtorim and surrounding areas have been battling with low pressure or no water
due to geographical problems as well as failed water supply
infrastructure.
Xavier Fernandes from Raia told Damon, Bagbhat Talcona and
Solva areas have a problem of water supply.
Due to a steep gradient the water line passing from Bagbhat
is irregular and inconsistent when it comes to the amount it supplies to the
village waterline. In Damon, the water tank built for the people doesn't get
water due to the gradient. As a result the tank has become a wasted expense. In
Talcona similar problem of steep gradient has resulted in slow or no supply of
Water. This problem is faced by the people of Solva too.
Yet another consumer from Rawanfond, Navelim said that she
has been complaining of a leaking water line for several days causing lakhs of
liters of precious water wasted. "The department is totally irresponsible
and not compassionate regarding the issue of water being wasted. The sewerage
line work punctured the line and the water supply keeps pushing the complaint
from one division to another," said Maria J Vaz from Rawanfond.
"How this is related to the water supply is when the
pipeline ruptures it is the consumer who gets low amount of water and the tail
ends dont get any" she complained.
Her situation is just another example of numerous other
Goans living in various parts of Salcete who are facing similar problems.
Pernem reels under water
supply crisis
Unlike other talukas, Pernam, once the taluka of the Chief
Minister has been facing a perennial water supply issue. While there have been multiple promises to
address this issue, it’s already mid-summer and the villagers complain that
they are dealing with a very acute water shortage crisis.
They have questioned why steps had not been initiated to
rectify the irregular water supply and water shortage issue especially as it is
affecting almost every r.
The15 MLD Chandel water treatment plant supplies water to
the whole of Pernem however there is shortage of almost 9 MLD. With the
increasing commercial complexes, hotels, restaurants, shacks guest houses on
Mandrem Beach belt have added to this problem of water shortage.
According to PWD sources, there are total 17,967 tap
connection in Pernem taluka from which 17,549 are domestic and 291 are
commercial. Around 479 new connections are released in last one and half year
and more than 6000 connections are in the coastal belt.
Throughout the year, people here manage to fulfill their
water demands by using water from the wells however even the wells have dried
up, leaving the public totally dependent on water supplied by PWD. Around 3 MLD
water is supplied to each village in the taluka however the demand from the
costal belt is higher than the other villages. The villages in Pernem
constituency receive regular water but the villages on coastal belt, which are
also located on tail point of the village, do not receive regular water. If
they do, they get water supply only once or twice a week.
The villages that are most affected are Tuem, Morjim,
Arambol, Palyem, Mandrem and Keri.
Presently other than tap, water is supplied through tankers
in whole of Taluka.
People across the taluka shared their disappointment.
Gaurish Poke from Morjim said,” We have a well close to our
house but from last 15 years people have stopped using water from this well.
From then on we are completely dependent on the water supplied by PWD. While this form of supply was regular for
many years, lately, for almost a year now there has been no regular water
supply. All the water is being diverted to the hotels and hardly some amount of
water is released to domestic connections. We receive water on alternate days
that too with very low pressure”.
“There have been several complaints filed but the
authorities have turned a blind eye towards this issue. For the last so many months, we have not
received water because of which we are forced to store water and use water
sparingly. But this can’t be the
situation all the time. This issue was raised in the gram sabha many times but
the panchayat or PWD is not taking any action,” said Pravin Naik.
“There is extremely low pressure when it comes to the water
supply. And there are no fixed timing, it comes and goes. Sometimes water is
released late at night too,” said Sonali Pednekar who added that after
complaining they received water through tankers.
Lata Mhamal concurred with Sonali and pointed out that they
receive water sometimes at 2 am or 3 am which disturbs their routine and sleep
and that there should be some fixed timings so that they can plan their day
around it accordingly.
“The people operating the water supply are from the village
and so they do it partially and release water only to those areas that they
wish to supply to. Due to this bias,
only few people receive water throughout the day while others don’t. Also the
fresh water from the plant is not clean and mixed water is released, added
Gauresh Gaonkar.
Canacona locals
complain of inadequate water supply
“Water is one of the basic needs of human beings and on an
average one family of five needs at least 1 thousand litres of water, but
during summer months we hardly get 2 hundred litres of water that too muddy.
Water is being diverted for private projects in our village with no monitoring
of the water supply despite our complaints. The authorities are not responsive
and the villagers are being made to suffer each day,” said Ervilho Barreto,
from Sadolxem.
Maur Kankonkar from Agonda blamed the rising migrant
population for putting an extra burden on the limited power supply and felt
that the taluka would face a major water crisis in the future as the current
water shortage issues are yet to be addressed.
“I would directly blame the authorities and the PWD officials, they had
promised us that they will solve the problem before 9 months but still they
can’t as the government is also paralysed for the last one year. We have given
the water supply department a deadline to solve the water crisis issue of the
entire taluka, “said Shubam Komarpant, from Patnem-Colomb. “Tanks have been built in our municipality
and panchayats but the problem is on the ground level where the government
officials are not making any effort to provide water tankers and they give us
petty excuses when we ask them why, “said Sachin Naik, Loliem, Canacona.
Water problems galore
across Ponda
The residents of Bethora, Priol are among the worst affected
when it comes to water shortage problems in Ponda. The reason for the water shortage is because
the capacity of the old pipeline is limited while the population of Bethora in
Shiroda has increased. Further, the water requirements from the industrial
estate and the migrant labour population have also increased. Locals Bethora,
Bondbag have constantly rushed to the water supply division at Daag Ponda but
the problems continue to persist.
Priol, which is in the hilly area, also faces a problem due
to its unique geographic shape where it is difficult to supply water.
Locals from Savoiverem and Kerim are now totally dependent
on water supply from tankers.
Priol MLA and Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude said
that he had solved 80 per cent of the water shortage issues in Kerim panchayat
whereas 45 per cent of the water shortage issue in Savoiverem panchayat. He
added that the problem was due to the existing water tank at Kerim which has
now been repaired and cleanred and that the water supply would now be smooth.
Regarding the places located in the hilly areas, water is being supplied by way
of water tankers. He further blamed the former MLA and PWD minister for failing
to solve the water supply issue. “But I have set a target to make Kerim and
Savoiverem Tanker free. During the next three years, the requirements of the
entire Priol Constituency will be fulfilled,” said Gaude.
Speaking about any foreseeable summer related problem,
Assistant Engineer Kelekar at OPA water treatment Plant said that the current
water levels are satisfactory. He however explained that for the smooth flow of
water, supply from the Ganjem plant is necessary.
Meanwhile it is learnt that the water resource department
has installed around 16 Bandharas on Doodhsagar River, which supplies water to
OPA Plant. There is sufficient water stored in Bandaras that will take care of
summer days. Water is released from it when whenever there is a shortage at the
OPA plant to supply treated water. The OPA plant with 140 MLD supplies water to
Tiswadi and Ponda Taluka.
Restricted water
supply a daily headache in Vasco
Headland Sada locals have been hit in the summer with an
acute water crisis. People are dependent on water being supply by tankers as
the alternate option is to wait for days before they get water supply.
The recent restriction in water supply from the Selaulim
water pipeline has created a lot of problems for the people of Vasco including
Headland Sada.
People can be seen filling water using utensils, pots, tubs
from a tap at the pump station near Sada Subjail.
The story in certain pockets of the MPT colony was no
different. Some colonies from Bogda area gets water supply from tankers.
A senior citizen pointed out that water supply had become
quite problematic for houses located in the interior parts of the taluka
wherein tankers do not reach and so they have to struggle to get drinking
water.
When inquired with the Assistant Engineer, Sandeep Naik who
is the incharge of water supply to all the MPT residential area from Headland
Sada, he said that the water requirement of the MPT residential quarters etc is
1400 cubic meter of water daily. “From this 95 percent of the water we get from
PWD and 5 per cent from other natural sources. It becomes difficult to get the
1400 cubic meter water regularly, sometimes we get 900 cubic meters etc
therefore I had to manage the water supply by releasing water wisely and on alternate
days,” he said.
He further added that the recent water crisis was due to the
restricted water supply, which had to happen as
Selaulim water pipeline is currently undergoing its annual maintenance.
Naik also opined that people should be careful with the amount of water they
use where they reduce the amount of water that is wasted. However, for many
residents, especially those who are not receiving water supply, they have to
run from pillar to post complaining about the same and have to make cumbersome
contingency plans to ensure that they have adequate water at home for their
daily requirements.