In Citizen Herald dated July 8, 2019, my complaint for dirty water supplied by PWD to Siolim was published. I am happy that the PWD Minister was grilled by almost all the MLAs with regards to the supply of dirty water to consumers of Goa. He admitted that the Assonora Plant was not able to treat this water during the monsoons.
But his department does not mind quenching the thirst of the consumers with dirty muddy water, while the Ministers will afford packaged drinking water at the cost of the exchequer.
This could not be his fault since he has just been handed over the charge of this ministry which was under the fiefdom of Sudin Dhavalikar, who made a mess of the water supply system with no vision for supplying 24X7 water to every Goenkar households. But this is also a distant dream for this government too.
The minister looked poorly informed and ignorant about his ministry despite being pulled up by all MLAs about the functioning of the PWD roads and water, with the hardship that everyone has gone through, even in future nothing will change. This department has to be rechristened as Public Worst Department.
The minister kept on praising his chief engineer and team for being very intelligent and doing a good job even after the public outcry.
Were these engineers’ mouth and hands tied up by the then former PWD minister Sudin Dhavalikar not allowing them to do the necessary upgradation, to ensure 24X7 water supply? Or corruption the sole motive for poor service?
Let us hope the new minister will now act once he understands his staff better, if they are fit to be there or send them home. Induct new engineers who are still looking for the jobs.
