TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
VASCO: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday assured that most people in the State will get water supply 24×7 with the completion of Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) project by 2014.
Parrikar was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the construction of the overhead reservoir at Mangor, Vasco, under Salaulim Water Supply Scheme and aided by JICA. Parrikar laid the foundation stone in the presence of PWD Minister Ramkrishna Dhavlikar, Forest and Environment Minister Alina Saldanha, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida and officials of PWD.
Speaking further, Parrikar said most of the projects planned for Mormugao taluka have been executed and with the completion of JICA project by 2014, most of the people in Goa will get water supply 24×7.
“By supplying 10 MLD raw water to Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd and by constructing a overhead reservoir at Verna, Vasco will get additional 15 MLD of PWD water,” he said.
He further said the water supply has been improved by replacing two pumps at Salaulim and by 2014, after replacing the remaining two pumps, people will get PWD water supply 24×7. He urged people to use water judiciously.
PWD Minister Dhavlikar said the total cost of the South Goa JICA project is Rs 1,034 crore and major work had been undertaken in Mormugao taluka.
“The JICA project process was started during the tenure of Parrikar in 2003. However, the project was kept in cold storage from 2006 to 2010,” he said.
“The laying of 100 MLD water pipeline from Selaulim will be completed within next five-six months. On an average, Vasco gets 55 MLD of PWD water and after completion of the project, Vasco will get addition 10 MLD PWD water,” he added.
Dhavlikar said the water supply reduces due to leakage and theft and to keep a check, PWD will install flow meters at various locations.
“As far the water reservoir at INS Gomantak is concerned, the earlier government failed to acquire land at Voddant. However, MLA Almeida took up the matter with Parrikar and acquired the land and the reservoir will be commissioned by next month,” added the minister.
While Environment Minister Saldanha said the JICA project will help people to get water supply 24×7, Almeida requested Dhavlikar to release water supply at 6 am instead of 3 am as people in Vasco find it difficult to get up in the wee hours.
Project Director Anand Wachasundra said once JICA project is completed, 15 constituencies from South Goa will get water supply 24×7 and about 28 overhead reservoirs will be constructed in South Goa.
