The serious drinking water crisis emanating in some of the mining affected villages, may reach insurmountable proportions, if the Mines department and the government do not release funds earmarked for such crisis management and supply of water in the mining village of Sonshi, as well all other areas which are facing a serious drinking water crisis.
Even while passing orders (on March 28) on the petition on the non- utilisation of funds from the District Mineral Fund in mining areas for needs like drinking water, among other things, the Court was concerned asking the state to meet on the week starting April 2, to discuss urgent issues like addressing the drinking water needs of villages in mining areas.
The issue at hand is to ask ourselves if those in charge of the District Mineral Fund of a whopping Rs 180 crores, are as sensitive about critical water needs of villagers as the High Court is.
The Court, in its order on another petition on meeting the drinking water needs of Sonshi village had taken on record the government say that twenty plastic tanks of ISI mark of 500 litres each and five tanks of 5000 litres each would be installed in the Village. The Advocate General mentioned that five tanks have been installed and the remaining tanks would be installed within a period of two days. (from March 7). The Advocate General also informed that some initial expenditure would be borne by the PWD to be reimbursed from the District Mineral Foundation Fund.
Let us also look at other submissions made in Court and some responses, which raised doubts about the quality of the water supplied. An excerpt from the order of March 7, on the Sonshi drinking water matter states “The learned Advocate General states that the water i.e. being supplied is potable water and it is filled in the tanker directly from the processing treatment plant at Sanquelim. The Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority has however informed the Court that the water transported by the tankers is unhygienic and, therefore, assuming, that the potable water filled in it has become contaminated.
The court had opined that it was necessary to set up a mechanism for looking at the grievance of the villagers, “since it is a question of their drinking water”. The Court further observed and directed, “It is also not practicable for this Court to monitor the issue on daily basis. The learned Advocate General on instructions from Mr Gupta, Chief Engineer states that Mr Rumil Barreto, the Executive Engineer will be appointed as an incharge/Nodal Officer to oversee all the entire operations of supply of potable water to the Village”.
It is therefore extremely significant, especially in the light of the fact that the District Mineral Foundation committee chose not to meet on any day on the week commencing April 2, to discuss fund utilization, specially for drinking water that the Courts directions, specifically on the Sonshi water petition, is monitored by Collector North Goa and the District Legal Services Authority.
The entire operations of the supply of drinking water and the claims made about the installation of water tanks in Court needs to be checked and a detailed report sent to the Court.
It is also necessary, and with absolute respect and deference to the Honourable Court, the people of Goa and the media must take up the responsibility of studying the Court’s people centric orders and become watchdogs to ensure that these orders are implemented and the Court informed through its proper channels, so that the basic right to get clean potable water is not denied.
