At 81, Goa’s Ex-SP who chased criminals is now chasing the PWD to get his water records rectified

PANJIM: Alex Rasquinha, retired Superintendent of police, who chased gang lords, land sharks and other criminals for 35 years, is chasing something very different at the age of 81- the PWD department- to get the records of his water connection corrected.

An “Illegal water connection”, according to him, has been issued to someone else with the same consumer code, but the department appears to have no mercy to get the issue sorted, making an 81 year old run around. Resquina’s dedicated and decorated service in uniform and his contribution to Goa, are apparently not strong enough handles to push the files faster.

According to Rasquinha, a former SP PWD had issued him a water connection on February 11, 2008 with his consumer No. as  PJV2 10  0635 A2A. The same consumer No. has now been allotted to one Paula Assiz Ribeiro somewhere last year.

To his utter shock, Rasquinha, a Dona Paula resident, received his water bill dated August 23, 2023 which changed his name and surname and mentioned that his water meter was fixed on January 31, 2019 wherein the old bill in his possession mentions that the water connection/meter was fixed on February 11, 2008.

When Rasquinha approached the PWD office, he found that his consumer code had been allotted to his neighbour Paula Assiz Ribeiro.

He noticed that Ribeiro’s meter was fixed on January 30, 2019 and he is having same consumer code i.e. PJV2 10 0635 A2A, which was given to the senior citizens in 2008. The records are in possession of O Heraldo.

Rasquinha questioned: “How can PWD allot the same consumer code to two different consumers?”  

He alleged that this was only possible with the connivance of the PWD staff.

He met the PWD authorities, who assured him that they will look into the matter and rectify the fault.

“I met the concerned engineer on December 18, 2023 and handed him a written complaint. He assured me that he will look into my matter and rectify the fault. But till today nothing has been done and water bills are issued to both with the same consumer code,” he rued. 

“Will the government authorities dismantle the illegal water connection allotted with my consumer code, remove the connecting water pipes and punish the culprit/s responsible? It is not possible to give two connections with the same consumer code without connivance of PWD staff by changing the records etc, he reiterated.

 “This is nothing but similar to land grabbing wherein records were changed in Archives Department with the connivance of government employees who have now been placed under suspension,” he said demanding that the government should inquire into his matter in a similar way and punish the culprit/s involved in this illegality.