TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The erstwhile Portuguese regime built a complex network of storm water drains in Panjim to channelise the water right from the Altinho hill and the city into the Mandovi River. These are fed by cross drains from other areas. This is supposed to ensure that no water remains back to cause any flooding in the city.
The drains were also connected to two huge cisterns which were to hold the water during high tide, when water would not flow into the river. Previously, attempts were made to unearth the cisterns, but in vain.
Recently, during the IFFI, a contract was given to do the road up. The contractor broke the storm water drains and built new surface drains that were not connected to the old ones. There was a problem of the alignment of the cross drains too. The CCP at that time had raised objections and even though there was no cooperation from the CCP, the contractor had managed to rectify the problem of some of the cross drains. However, at least two drains near Dempo House are still apparently not connected. The govt has not rectified the problem and the contractor too is not bothered. Now, logically with all the development work, first the drainage system will have to be sorted out and then the roads re-laid to find a permanent solution to the flooding problem of Panjim. But here the floods show that this was not done though the CPP says that it has cleaned all the storm drains.
