After sewage, water scarcity now haunts Panjim residents

Team Herald

PANJIM: After being haunted by the sewage flowing in front of their houses, the residents in many parts of the State’s capital city are struggling with almost zero supply of water.

Now, the residents of Bhatlem are experiencing water scarcity and low pressure problem since the last few days. The residents complained that due to water supplied at low pressure, those residing on top floors in the buildings are facing major issues. To compound their woes, those residing in the Government Quarters at Bhatlem are hit hard as they have no sumps to store water unlike others, who can tide over the crisis for almost a day or even for two days as they have water tanks.

The residents told O Heraldo that be it summer or any season of year there is no change in water supply and the same gets interrupted for most of the days for various reasons.

As there was no respite, a resident Ramchandra Ajgaonkar, a retired government servant on Sunday tried to contact the PWD (water supply) junior engineer and assistant engineer but in vain.

He then visited the PWD (Water Supply) office at St Inez to enquire about the water shortage.

“We have been facing water shortage for the last few days and receive water only in the evening that too low pressure. I tried to contact junior engineer and assistant engineer of the area on their official phone numbers and found them switched off,” said Ajgaonkar, who himself worked in the PWD till he retired on superannuation.

Ajgaonkar said that he then telephoned executive engineer N P Parsekar, who sent a supervisor and a plumber to check and rectify the fault.

He claimed that it was only because of his initiative he received water on Monday morning.

Raju Vadavadekar also from Bhatlem complained that water supply was irregular for the last four days. Narrating his ordeal, Raju said that he did not receive water on Thursday morning while, it was released same evening. The next day, water was released in the morning and there was no drop of water in the evening as the taps ran dry for the next two days i.e. Saturday and Sunday.

A housewife from the locality, who refused to come to record said that she received a message from ward councillor Shayani Chopdekar that there will be restricted water supply on Thursday and Friday. But she was proved wrong as they received water on both days and then it was next two days there was no drop of water.

On the other hand, CCP councillor Chopdekar said that she had sent WhatsApp messages based on information given by the PWD. But nobody complained to me about it, she argued.

Former CCP Mayor and Councillor Uday Madkaikar said that it is the government servants residing in government quarters often facing hardships due to irregular water supply as they do not have sumps unlike local residents, who have now made provision of water tanks.

PWD Executive Engineer N P Parsekar said that he will ask his engineers to look into the problem in Bhatlem area and ensure that the residents will get regular water supply.

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After 72 hrs, Chief Engineer says Calangute ‘power’ will improve in another 72 hours 

CALANGUTE: A week after assuring Calangute residents that there would be uninterrupted power supply to Calangute within 72 hours, Electricity Department Chief Engineer Stephen Fernandes on Monday yet again claimed that the power supply will improve in 72 hours.

On Monday, he visited the Calangute Panchayat and interacted with villagers.

Admitting that even though the power supply problem has not been fully resolved, Fernandes said the power cuts have reduced. “Because people were having a lot of problems, I have come to the site to understand the local situation,” he said. 

Calangute residents along with panchayat members had last Tuesday held a meeting with the Chief Electricity Engineer and handed over a memorandum about the erratic power supply in Calangute which has been facing frequent power cuts daily. 

During the interaction with villagers on Monday, Fernandes explained the technical aspects of the power supply infrastructure, which he said, are being augmented wherever possible immediately, while other major works will take some time.  

He said they have identified the areas which need improvement within Calangute and some changes have already been made in the last few days.

“The situation has improved, but not 100%. We have identified what needs to be done and we will do it in the next 72 hours,” the chief engineer added.