Team Herald
MARGAO: As Goa celebrated World Water Day with much fanfare, the irony wasn't lost on residents of Mollar in Nessai, where a chronic water shortage has escalated into a full-blown crisis. While the government touts its 'Har Ghar Jal' initiative claiming water access for all, the ground reality here paints a starkly different picture - with households receiving water for barely an hour every two days, if at all.
The situation has become so bad that when water does flow through the pipes, it often comes in the dead of night when residents are asleep, leaving them with no opportunity to store it. "How can they claim 'Har Ghar Jal' when we haven't had proper water supply in months?" questioned a frustrated resident, pointing to their dry taps. “These campaigns mean nothing when our basic needs aren't met,” he charged.
The crisis has forced families into impossible choices. Those who can afford it spend heavily on private water tankers, while others ration every drop carefully. Children go to school unbathed, workers face humiliation at their workplaces and household chores pile up endlessly. “This isn't just about inconvenience - it's about our dignity,” says another resident, while speaking to the media after their visit to the Public Works Department (PWD).
Despite repeated complaints to local representatives including MLA Cruz Silva and MP Captain Viriato and multiple petitions to the PWD, solutions remain elusive. A recent visit to the PWD office yielded familiar excuses - the decades-old pipeline system, designed for a fraction of the current population, simply can't meet demand. While officials acknowledge the problem, upgrades remain stuck in bureaucratic limbo.
As summer approaches, anxiety grows in Mollar-Nessai. “If this is our situation now, what will happen when temperatures soar?” asks a worried mother.