VALPOI: There was nothing to cheer for the locals of Saleli in Sattari on the eve of Diwali as they were compelled to go without water with the taps running dry.
It is pertinent to note that the villagers of Saleli have been facing a water shortage problem for the past three decades. Saleli has no proper water supply, the villagers are supplied with tap water two or three times, while during the remaining days they are compelled to depend on water tankers, and that too they have to wait for hours by keeping their works aside, to receive water.
According to the villagers, the water pipeline village is almost four decades old and due to high pressure, there are frequent pipeline breakdowns despite several complaints to the officials of PWD (Water Supply), Valpoi. The villagers have made several visits to the PWD but in vain.
“In our village, the water supply tank is located at Bhuipal, which supplies water to Bhuipal, Honda and Saleli. Honda and Bhuipal villagers are getting the proper tap water supply and we in Saleli the supply is erratic,” complained a villager.
“We had raised the water shortage issue during the gram sabha and had requested the panch members and the Poriem MLA to solve our water shortage issue. But they all have failed to solve the issue,” said another villager.
“Earlier, we used to get regular tap water supply and there was no water shortage. We used to get water supply from a bore well located in the village only, but later the bore well collapsed and now no one is bothered to repair it as the same is lying in bad condition,” the villagers said.
“Now, we want the government to lay a new water pipeline in our village and also reconstruct the village bore well,” they demanded.
