PONDA: Even as the State is on the edge due to the diversion of the Mhadei waters, lakhs of litres of fresh, potable groundwater from Ponda’s water table are wasted each day. Locals have witnessed sewerage contractors pumping out huge volumes of groundwater that collect in the sewerage chambers being constructed across the town. The precious resource flows into the town’s nullah and then into River Zuari, without being used by the townspeople, whose taps often run dry due to the poor supply network.
Work on Ponda’s 15 MLD, Rs 530 crore-Sewage Treatment Plant has been underway for the past six years, and workers are currently completing the construction of the sewerage chambers and laying of the pipelines. The chambers, laid below the level of Ponda’s main nullah, get filled with groundwater and water from natural underground springs. The sewerage officials have no option but to pump all this freshwater out, but within no time, the chambers get filled up again, hampering the construction work.
Anguished at the wastage of such huge volumes of potable water, locals worry that this project may cause all of Ponda’s groundwater reserves to dry up, leaving them in the lurch this summer.
“This water being pumped out into the nullah can be collected or diverted and used for industrial purposes, or even gardening, but it is drained into the main nullah which later flows into the Zuari river instead,” said a resident.
Over the past month, the pumps have been operating day and night to drain out the water collecting in the sewerage chamber located near the Municipal Garden. Similarly, in the past few days, water has been pumped out from the sewerage chamber at Kapileshwarim.
Locals allege that the chambers have been dug seven to eight meters below the level of Ponda’s main nullah, causing the groundwater to collect in these chambers. Besides this, Ponda is also surrounded with hills and the water from underground springs, that get recharged during the monsoon, also seep into the sewerage chambers.
