Assures 24×7 water supply in 3 years
TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Thirty seven villages are not getting potable water (through the public water system) even after 50 years of self-rule, Public Works Development Minister Ramakrishna Sudin Dhavalikar told the Goa Legislative Assembly Tuesday. In the same breath, he reiterated his government’s stance that it would give 24 hours a day and 365 days a year water supply to the entire State, in three years.
“37 villages have no filtered tap water,” Dhavalikar said agreeing with Sankhali MLA Pramod Sawant who questioned the government’s decision to continue with unfiltered water to households.
“I’ll put sand filters in these areas and ensure that they have filtered water,” Dhavalikar said, alleging that the State government had been grossly underutilizing Central government schemes whether in sanitation, water supply or roads.
“We need two big laboratories. Since 2007, funds under a Central government scheme are available. But we have not applied for a single rupee under this scheme. But now we will do it,” Dhavalikar said.
Dhavalikar however said that it was a matter of pride that the State stood second in the entire country when it came to the quality of water supplied and among the top five when it came to the extent to which it supplied
water amongst its populace.
He recalled government’s plans to expand the treatment plants at Chandel, Opa and other places, besides also build new ones at Tuem in Pernem, Guirim, Verna and other places.
All MLAs, cutting across party lines, including Speaker Rajendra Arlekar raised the issue of water supply and its quality. The MLAs also raised the issues of the lack of coordination within PWD itself when it came to digging of roads for laying water pipes and resurfacing the roads later.
There is digging of the roads 12 months of the year. In other cases, soon after the road is resurfaced, they begin to dig it, Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco said.
The State requires a total of 275 MLD per day, while it pumps from the source around 500 MLD per day, however due to in-transit and other losses which are to the tune of 40%, there is a shortage of water.
