PONDA: The water levels at Opa dipped drastically to 1.80 metres on Monday as against the normal 2.5 metres needed to supply to Ponda and Tiswadi talukas forcing the Water Resources Department to decide on pumping additional 30 MLD from another mining pit at Codli.
The Codli mining pit is the fourth such pit to release water to the OPA water treatment plant.
Officials said, a few days ago, around 70 to 80 MLD was pumped from three mining pits located near the bank of Opa River, besides water from Salaulim and Ganjem plants. Opa has been facing major water crisis since the past decade. Of the 12 bhandaras, water from 11 such water bodies has already been released to meet consumers’ requirements and water from the bhandara at Dharbandora will be released on May 14. The WRD is currently managing with the required water from Salaulim and Ganjem plants being released to the Opa River, besides from mining pits. The officials are trying to maintain the pumping level for supply.
The normal water level at Opa remains at 2.40 metres but in the last fortnight it has dipped to 2 metres. This week, the water level further dipped to 1.80 mts.
Opa treats around 140 MLD water for Panjim and Ponda talukas but now due to water shortage around 100 MLD is pumped from the three mining pits.
It is learnt that Opa River water is also pumped by around 40 farmers to their bagayats. The officials are planning to stop them from pumping water from Opa River. These farmers pump around 10-15 MLD to their bagayats. The officials say they would decide on preventing the farmers from pumping water to their bagayat after discussing the matter with the government on Tuesday.
According to sources, the mining pits have plenty of water which is sufficient enough beyond summer.
