Joaquim vows to solve water woes in Pernem

Joaquim vows to solve water woes in Pernem
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, MARCH 27
The Minister for Urban Development Joaquim Alemao assured the House on Saturday that he would ensure that water problem faced by residents of Surbanwado Pernem is resolved. A meeting with the members of Pedne Develaya Committee (PDC) that has objected to Pernem Municipal Council (PMC) who wants to repair drinking water well and talli (pond) which has been source of water to residents of the area.
He was replying to a Calling Attention moved by Pernem MLA Dayanand  Sopte saying schedule caste residents of Surbanwado are being harassed by objecting to repairs of the well and pond.
 Around 400 families depend on water from the well and pond but PDC has refused to give NOC to carry out repairing. Sopte pointed out that residents suffer because even this day they don’t have access to water sources in other wards and urged the minister to look the matter and work out a solution at the earliest.
The minister said, the grant-in-aid amounting to Rs 13.34 lakhs under special component plan for schedule caste for the work was sanctioned by government and tenders were floated. However, tenders could not be opened as treasurer of the PDC Pradeep Deshprabhu raised objections in carrying out the works.
The PDC has refused to give NOC to repair well and the pond which falls in its jurisdiction, minister said further adding that he would take an initiative to have a meeting with Pradeep Deshprabhu to convince PDC to issue the NOC.