Team Herald
MAPUSA: Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar, ZP Kavita Naik and Sarpanch have filed police complaint against PWD officers and the contractor alleging negligent work and for damaging public property.
The complaint states that due to the negligence and non-functioning of concerned PWD officer and the contractor, for more than five days, residents of Porvorim and Saligao constituencies and surrounding areas have suffered water shortage.
The complaint further stated that initially the shutdown was for two days but till date there is no water supply to the said areas.
The highway contractor has acted illegally and carried out substandard and unprofessional work without maintaining due care and caution and has damaged the water pipelines causing leakages, it stated.
The complaint further stated that the PWD also failed to provide water supply via tankers from time to time. Despite several requests, the PWD failed to make any alternate arrangements to provide required water for consumption in both these constituencies.
It also stated that several times the main pipeline is damaged due to irresponsible behaviour of the contractor. Due to the substandard and negligent work in the first week of April, the main electricity line at Karaswada which connects to Saligao Sub-Station was damaged. This affected the power supply to entire Saligao on April 1. However, no action has been taken on the issues till date which clearly displays the connivance between the departmental officials and the contractors forcing the local residents of the areas to suffer.
The complaint further stated that the contractor has damaged all the water pipelines in the area and hence strict action ought to be initiated against the contractor and the concerned officers involved in grant of such contract, supervision, monitoring and inspection of the work, due to which huge loss and injustice have been caused to the residents.
Water and electricity are primary rights and requirements of each citizen and therefore any change/alteration needs to be carried out in a planned and informed manner, it added.
