Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Even as Bardez limps back to life after facing days of crippling water shortage, environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar has rung the alarm bells, saying that the water crisis might become a regular feature in the talukas of Bicholim, Sattari and Bardez, since the government has neglected the vital water sources in the region.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Kerkar highlighted the growing pollution and decline in the flow of the Bicholim river, which traverses both Goa and Maharashtra. He warned that this deterioration could soon trigger a severe water crisis, not only in Bicholim, Sattari, and Bardez, but also in the Amthane river, if immediate remedial measures are not taken.
“The situation is dire,” Kerkar said. “If the government continues to ignore the deteriorating condition of the Bicholim river, the region could face long-term environmental and socio-economic disaster. The water crisis will be inevitable if urgent action is not taken now.”
The environmentalist pointed to the rampant pollution of the Bicholim river, which has been exacerbated by extensive mining activities in the area. Kerkar emphasized that the Bicholim water crisis is not a natural disaster but a man-made problem, driven largely by unchecked industrial activity.
Kerkar also criticised the government's consistent failure to act on rejuvenating the Bicholim river, which was once a vital waterway. The river, which originates in Talekhol village, Dodamarg (Maharashtra), is now under threat from stone-crushing operations in the region. He called for immediate steps to preserve the water sources of the Bicholim river before it’s too late.
The situation is equally troubling for the Valavanti river, which flows from Chorla Ghat in Karnataka into Goa. Kerkar noted that the river is facing dwindling water levels due to the construction of the Haltara dam by the Karnataka government and the Virdi irrigation dam by Maharashtra, both of which are diverting crucial water resources. This, he warned, could impact the Sakhali and Padoshem water treatment plants that supply water to Bardez, Bicholim, and Sattari.
“The people of Bardez are already feeling the effects of this water shortage,” Kerkar said, referring to the recent water scarcity in Bardez taluka. “The government must act swiftly to prevent a complete collapse of the water supply in these talukas.”
Even as these concerns are raised, the Water Resource Department (WRD) has attempted to assure the public, claiming that the restoration work on the Tillari canal, a key water source for the region, will be completed by Monday. Officials stated that about 80 per cent of the restoration work has been finished and that regular water supply would resume soon. Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar, accompanied by officials from both Goa and Maharashtra, inspected the ongoing repair work of the breached Tillari dam canal.