With summer temperatures searing some part of Ponda taluka have begun to face water shortages and irregular water supply, forcing them to wait for the water with empty barrels and utensils to collect water, affecting their routine work schedule and office schedule.
Presently, people from Bethora, in Shiroda Constituency and Keri Panchayat in Priol Constituency are facing acute shortage of water and are thirsting for regular supply in a developed state like Goa.
People have not alternative but to wait for water tankers in the absence of poor water supply. The water supplied by tankers too is inadequate for them therefore several times they have submitted memoranda and even indulged in agitations to highlight their woes.
Another source of water — the bore wells are not sufficient and many have become dysfunctional.
Though the people have approached the politicians and so called people’s representative, they have merely give empty assurances at election times, say locals.
The citizens from Kerim Panchayat have claimed that they have been facing water shortages for several years and suffer almost every summer. The issue of shortage of water and irregular supplies have been raised at the gram sabhas several times.
People from Kerim at Nallem, Amadi, Arla, Satode, Amarkane and other areas face water shortages throughout the year since this village is situated at higher altitude. Presently water supply division provides water to these people through nine tankers per day which include five in Kerim Panchayat and four at Bethora at Ashewada and Dattagarh areas.
Around 30 residents of the Bethora Ashewada are have submitted a memorandum to assistant engineer Ponda, complaining that the irregular timing of water supply forces them to spend sleepless nights.
Further they have to come out at night since most of the houses do not have taps in their houses.
The Opa water treatment plant provides water to 30 km away to Tiswadi taluka but why are people from the same taluka from Bethora and Kerim unable to get water villagers wish to question the government through the media.
According to former Bethora sarpanch Baburao Salelkar they are getting the water only during night at Ashewada and Mapsewada.
Around seven small scale units which are part of Bethora Industrial Estates are also facing water crisis. One unit manager Santosh Sawant said that his unit along with a few others is facing water shortages. The lack of storage facilities and tanks creates problem for water supply in abovementioned areas in Priol and Shiroda Constituency.
According to Baburao Salelkar if the water is stored in construction water tanks it might solve their problem.
Assistant Engineer at water supply division at Dag Ponda, Nivruti Parsekar informed that during summer as water level goes down to some extent at Opa, it is not possible to provide adequate water throughout the day. Therefore in some areas we provide water through tankers. The problem of people is that they do not have adequate storage tank facilities.
The problem faced by Kerim Panchayat and Savoi verem area and Priol Constituency will be solved after the ongoing work of 25MLD treatment plant at Ganjem. Further 10 MLD treatment Plant on Mysal Dam at Shiroda is going on and likely to be completed at the end of year. Besides this 25 MLD treatment plant work at Opa is almost 70 percent complete and from next year most of the problems of water shortages will be solved due to this additional plant.
Parsekar said we provide water to people through tankers where there is water crisis. Some people are reluctant even to pay water bills as they feel they are not getting sufficient water through taps and water provided by tankers is provided free by government.
“But it is not the case. We are bearing the cost of the water supplied by tanker,” he said. The treatment situation is not worrisome and that water at the Opa water works could last for another month till the arrival of the monsoon.
“We are supplying water at regular intervals. There is no water shortages at present. People complaint because they wants 24 hours water to be released from taps which is not possible.
The Opa water works supplies around 140 MLD of treated water to the population of Ponda and Tiswadi talukas.
With the arrival of summer the water supply demand increases due to the scorching heat as people’s requirement doubles. Besides construction sites some people even uses treated water for plantations despite presence of natural resources such as wells and spring in cultivable areas, which lead to shortages,” Parsekar disclosed.
“At present we are regularly measuring the water level at Opa water dam which most of the time is 3 mts. But through April and May the level goes down. Since past few days it was ranging between 2.71 to 2.66 mts. Saturday it measured 2.65 mts. When this levels goes down more than 2.5 mts it becomes difficult to pump the water. Whenever the level of water goes down and there is shortfall in maintaining water level, we ask the WRD department to release the water stored in bandharas,” Parsekar concluded.
