PONDA: The biggest shock with the recent controversy is that despite all the authorities including the Centre and the State, know how Goa will get affected by diverting lifeline of Goa, Mhadei river, the BJP-led Central government still took the decision.
The fact that Goa will face acute water shortage was well known and it had been brought to the notice of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) team as early as 2013, during its visit to the Opa Water Works plant in Curti-Khandepar panchayat.
With the Centre granting Environment Clearance (EC) for diverting Mhadei River water to Karnataka`s Kalasa Banduri Project, it will not only have an impact on drinking water sources in Sattari, Bicholim , Bardez talukas but it will have an impact on the OPA Water treatment Plant at Khandepar, which supplies drinking water to Tiswadi, Ponda, and Dharbandora talukas.
The Opa plant is likely to face shortage of water if Karnataka diverts the water of Mhadei river. Presently, out of the 140 MLD water treated daily by the Opa plant, it gets around 30 MLD from Ganjem river, which is a tributary of Mhadei river, flowing from Valpoi Sattari, to Ganjem Usgao and then to Mandovi.
At Ganjem Usgao, in Ponda Taluka, there is a bandara on this river, from which water is supplied to the plant. Thus after the diversion, Ganjem river may fail to supply this 30 MLD water to the OPA treatment Plant and the plant may face a shortage of this much quantity, which may cause a water crisis in Ponda and Tiswadi taluka.
Further, according to officials, the plant gets water from Dudhsagar river, which is called as Khandepar river that is also a tributary of Mhadei.
Around 60 MLD is also supplied to Opa from Salaulim Dam and water stored in mining pits is also utilised during summer.
Thus, the Opa plant is forced to depend on water from Mhadei river and Salaulim Dam.
Moreover, the salinity of Mandovi river, from Ganjem to Panjim, may also increase if the diversion takes place. This could have a detrimental effect on the environment, ecosystem, river banks, agriculture, fishing and the livelihood of the public.
In addition, the diversion will also directly impact the proposed 25 MLD water treatment plant at Ganjem, Usgao as it’s fully dependent on the river. It will supply water to villages of Khandepar, Usao, Ganjem, Guleli and Codqui.
It will have a similar impact on the new 27 MLD water treatment plant, which is coming up at Opa that will supply water to Kadamba Plateau and other parts like the surrounding Bainguinim areas in Tiswadi.
