Team Herald
MARGAO: The Shadow Council for Margao has condemned the state of affairs at the water supply Department at Margao. The SCM stated that the government has completely turned a blind eye to the faulty meters and the consumers are forced to pay heftily.
SCM convenor and former chairperson Savio Coutinho said there are 32,000 consumers under this (Margao, Fatorda and Benaulim) sub-division and hundreds of consumers have enough reasons to grumble. From faulty meters, leakage/pressure problems and new connections, there are issues galore. They have to make endless trips to this office, as site inspections are postponed for want of staff vehicles. The privileged few who can afford, ferry the officials in their own vehicles or hired cars, but the poor GOENKAR is left in the lurch.
Coutinho further stated that the PWD has money to squander on bogus water supply tanker operators, ( as recently exposed), but the department falls short of funds to repair and provide water tankers for this sub-division. “The Government which proposes to convert KTC buses into Mobile toilets for Migrants, could well convert some into Water Tankers for the GOENKARS instead,” mocked Coutinho.
It may be noted that there are hundreds of applications pertaining to exorbitant bills due to faulty meters, pending for inspection. By the time the inspections are conducted, the next bill is issued and the consumers are forced to pay the huge amounts billed.
“When the government has funds in crores to purchase plush new vehicles for the convenience of Ministers, why can’t they spare a few lakhs on much needed staff vehicles that can ease the hardships faced by the common man,” asked Coutinho.
