BICHOLIM: Even though the dam at Sal in Bicholim has been quenching the thirst of the entire north Goa the residents of Sal have to do without water for almost two months.
In the recently-held gram sabha the issue of water scarcity was raised by one Ghanasham Raut and every one attacked the panch members for not taking any action in this regard.
The situation of water is very grim in Sal. Even though the dam that supplies water to Assonora water treatment plant is in the village all the families are faced with irregular water supply.
“The water supplied to us is irregular and on most occasions there is no tap water for days together. We have the dam that supplies water to entire North Goa but we are faced with acute drinking water scarcity,” Sal panch, Bindiya Raut said.
The Tillari-displaced residents are the worse affected by this and since the past two months their taps have run dry. “We get one tanker every week and have to store that water and use it. This is the condition since past more than two months. For how long one can store water and use it?” questions Rushali Naik from Sal.
“Government should have constructed a mini water treatment plant in Sal and that would have satisfied the needs of entire Bicholim and surrounding areas. The plant is already proposed but still it is yet to see the ray of light,” Ghanasham Raut claimed.
“We get water from Padoshem water treatment plant when Assonora treatment plant is closer to us. Sal water goes to Porvorim where there are more non-Goans and we Goans are suffering due to water scarcity,” Mukund Raut said.As the problem was now becoming worse the residents have now resorted to agitation.
It has been decided that if they are not getting 24-hour water supply they would take over the water pumping station at Sal on February 3 and would not allow anyone to enter the premises till their demands are met.
“It is a grave issue and so we have decided that on February 3 we would go to the pumping site and take over the pumping station if the problem is not solved” Sal sarpanch, Prakash Raut stated.
