PANJIM: Several Talukas of North Goa district including Pernem, Bardez and Bicholim are likely to face water crisis as repair and maintenance work of Tillari dam is to be taken up from October 10 to December 15, 2023.
Speaking to reporters, Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar on Monday said the government will try to tide over the water shortage by supplying water from Assonora, Anjunem and Amthane dams.
The canals are around 30-year-old. The Maharashtra government had decided to take up the maintenance and repair work of the canal.
During the sixth meeting of the Control Board of the Tilari Inter-State Dam Project held in June this year, an expenditure of Rs 330 crore was approved for the revival of canals of the Tillari Inter-State Irrigation Project of Maharashtra and Goa.
Earlier, water supply in several parts of Pernem, Bardez and parts of Bicholim Taluka had been affected as the Tillari Irrigation Dam was shut for annual maintenance in November last year.
Residents of Siolim, Calangute, Porvorim and other parts of Pernem Taluka faced a lot of inconvenience due to the irregular water supply.
However, the Public Works Department (PWD) had made alternate arrangements for drinking water supply in all the affected talukas by pumping water from Kalna River for Chandel Water Treatment Plant in Pernem Taluka and from Chapora River at Sal for the Assonora Treatment Plant for Bardez and Bicholim Talukas.
Residents of some of the wards faced a lot of convenience due to the erratic water supply and the PWD and the WRD had to urge people to use the water judiciously.The maintenance work was taken up after both – Goa and Maharashtra had agreed to shut off the supply of water from Tillari irrigation dam from November 11 to December 11, 2022.
