SANGUEM: Villagers from Kalay on Thursday complained that the water from Kalay River is being used for industrial purposes by the factories operating at Santona and Periudok, in Sanvordem Village Panchayat jurisdiction.

At a recently held meeting, villagers opposed to the use of raw water from Kalay River for industrial purposes as it is not only locals, who depend on the water for domestic and agricultural works, but it is also used for meeting the drinking water supply needs at Opa Water Treatment Plant.

It is pertinent to note that during the very first term of Manohar Parrikar as chief minister, a special scheme was devised by laying a pipeline from Selaulim Dam to Kalay River at Kalay to augment 48 MLD of raw water into Kalay River, to reach the Opa Water Treatment Plant, to make up for the short supply of drinking water needs of the people in Ponda and other areas.

However, Adv Amar Naik, a villager pointed out that large quantity of water from Kalay River is reportedly used by the factories for industrial needs defeating the very purpose for which the plan for augmentation of water supply was devised by former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar.

Naik said that despite the opposition from villagers, the factory owners, who have influential contacts, manage to get permissions from the authorities for drawing raw water from Kalay River.

The augmentation of raw water to Kalay River from Selaulim Dam is done in summer, when the water level at the Khandepar River drops.