Team Herald
PERNEM: It has been six days since the water supply to Pernem Taluka has been affected due to the cyclone which struck the State, on Sunday.
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Residents of different parts of Pernem Taluka informed Herald that over the last six days they are facing major water problem. The whole coastal belt of Mandrem, parts of Pernem including Corgao, Dhargal, Map and Nagzar are also facing water scarcity.
People have to walk and even travel by their vehicles to get water from their relatives’, who have wells, for their daily consumption and other household activities.
Pernem Taluka receives water from the Chandel Treatment Plant, where around 15 MLT water is treated everyday and supplied to the whole taluka which is insufficient. However, for the past six days, the water supply is totally stopped.
According to the sources, the Chandel Plant has three water pumps and all were damaged during the cyclone. The locals have blamed the local MLA and Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Babu Ajgaonkar for not making any provision to supply water to the people.
“The government was aware of the cyclone. However, it failed to save the damage caused and make provision for the basic requirements of the people. We stayed without power for four days and now it’s been six days that there is no water supply. How are we supposed to survive?,” questioned a local resident, Subhash Naik.
“For the past six days there is no water. We are forced to get water from our relatives’, who have wells. We have to go all the way with our vehicles. There is no water for consumption. If PWD cannot release water through taps then the department should have made provision to supply water through tankers or release water at least for two hours every day,” opined Bharti Salgaonkar, who is a housewife.
While the local MLA failed to solve the basic problem of the village, the social workers from Pernem provided water to the affected people through tankers for the last three days.
Meanwhile, on Friday, around 10 MLT of treated water was released. Assistant Engineer at Chandel Treatment Plant assured to release complete 15 MLT water by Saturday.
