Team Herald
PERNEM: Another promise made during the tenure of last BJP Government in Mandrem is yet incomplete. The promise to give an independent 30 MLD water treatment plant for Mandrem Constituency to solve water crisis along Pernem costal belt was given by the Laxmikant Parsekar-led government. However, PWD sources said that it would take another year for the project work to begin.
Mandrem constituency, being on the coastal belt of Pernem, is frequented by tourists not just during the tourism season but throughout the year. However, with shortage of water, this constituency faces water crisis round the year. To solve this problem, former chief minister and former local MLA Laxmikant Parsekar had promised an independent 30 MLD water treatment plant for Mandrem at Tuem. But the work on this plant is still on and will take years to complete, said an official.
Pernem Taluka has four beaches — Armabol, Morjim, Mandrem and Keri – and according to sources these four villages are the most affected since they are located at tail end of the taluka.
The existing water treatment plant at Chandel treats 15 MLD drinking water and supplies to 22 villages in Pernem taluka. From this 15 MLD, around 3 MLD water is supplied to each village located on the beach belt. But taking into consideration, the population and tourist arrivals, the consumption of water is more in these villages. And more than the tourists, it is the locals who face water crisis.
Mandrem residents say that irregular water supply is routine feature in the village due to which they are forced to collect and store water for two to four days. With only 3 MLD of water supply to Morjim, Arambol, Mandrem and Keri, many a time locals are forced to hire private tankers for supply of water.
Presently there are 17,488 tap connections registered at PWD Pernem from which around 5,840 tap connections are in Mandrem constituency. These connections include the domestic as well as commercial connections.
Sources also informed that every month around 25 to 40 new connections get added to the total number of tap connections. However, the amount of water supply from the Chandel plant has remained the same.
Considering the ever increasing tap connections and population, the 30 MLD water treatment plant for Mandrem constituency has become a need of the hour. This plant will be located near ITI Tuem.
Talking to Herald AE of Pernem PWD said, “The process is under progress. Land for this plant has already been acquired. However, it will take another year for all the process to complete and project work to start. This project has not received administrative approval. Once it receives administrative approval, it will go for tendering and later for financial sanctioning and then work order. Project work will start once this completes and it will take one more year to complete”.
Along with treatment plant, tanks will be constructed in each village of Mandrem constituency — 800 cubic meter for Querim, 350 for Korgao, 500 for Arambol, 500 for Mandrem, 1000 for Tiracol, 400 for Paliem, 300 for Morjim, 400 for Parcemand and 600 cubic meters for Agarwada Chopdem.
The total cost of the project is Rs 80 crore. Meanwhile, augmentation of existing water treatment plant at Chandel from 15 MLD to 30 MLD is also under progress.
