Dhavalikar also said that government is contemplating possibility of providing free water supply upto 10 cubic liters of water per family, beyond which the tariff would be doubled.
Addressing media persons Friday afternoon, Dhavalikar said that lethargy on the part of former Congress government to begin the JICA project delayed the entire implementation. He said that the environment clearance granted by the Union Ministry for the project in 2006 expired in 2010 and remained so till 2012 when the new government made efforts and renewed it. “Several projects that were tendered remained as it is due to non-issuance of work order,” he said.
As a result, Dhavalikar said that government had to bear an additional burden of Rs 166.37 crore due to delay in implementation of the project, as reported by Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its latest report.
The Government of India in 2006 requested assistance of the Japanese government to augment water supply and sanitation in Goa in 22 different packages. The estimated cost of the project was Rs 1,100 crore, of which Japan International Co-operation Agency sanctioned Rs 847.50 crore.
“We now have expertise (JICA). Most of the projects are nearing 50-55 percent completion. By March 2015 the JICA project would be completed,” Dhavalikar claimed.
The Minister said that under JICA, various water projects to be augmented include 100 MLD water plant at Sanguem, 70 MLD at Ganjem, 25 MLD treatment plant at Opa, 20 MLD at Canacona and 10 MLD at Pernem. Dhavalikar said that following the request from JICA to hike the water tariff, government is contemplating possibility of providing free water supply upto 10 cubic litres per family. “After 10 cubic litres, double charges would be applied,” he said adding that the proposal is currently in the planning stage.
Assuring 24 x 7 water supply by 2016, Dhavalikar said that government is working towards reducing the non-revenue water (NRW) from existing 40 percent to 20 percent in next two years. He informed that PWD is in the process of drafting master plan for supplying water at the rate of 150 liters per day per person in both urban and rural areas.
“At present, Goa is the only state that supplies 130 litres of water per day per person in urban areas and 100 litres in rural areas,” he said. The Minister also announced its plan to introduce a scheme for backward class people living in the hilly areas under which they would be provided water tanks for storage of water.
