PONDA: Ponda and Tiswadi Taluka are badly depending on their water requirement from the Mhadei River and its tributaries that are flowing in Goa. Karnataka’s attempt to divert water from the Mhadei basin will not only hit hard the existing 140 MLD treatment plant at Opa in Khandepar but also the two new 25 MLD treatment plants coming up at Ganjem in Usgao and the new 27 MLD water treatment plant being constructed at OPA to meet additional need of Tiswadi especially at the Kadamba plateau and surrounding areas where water shortages are rampant.
Sources at PWD said Ponda and Tiswadi face water woes from April to May and the situation would worsen in case Karnataka succeeds to divert water to meet its drinking or irrigation requirement.
Out of the 140 MLD water treated at Opa, Panjim consumes around 45 MLD, Ponda around 40 MLD and the remaining is supplied to Marcaim, Shiroda, Priol, Dharbandora and other areas.
The 140 MLD Opa Existing Water Treatment Plant at Opa–Khandepar supplies 45 MLD treated water to Tiswadi and around 40 MLD treated water to Ponda Taluka and rest to Dharbandora Taluka and other areas. The 140 MLD Opa water works project at Khandepar gets its water from Khandepar River which is a tributary of Mhadei River. To treat water every day the plant meets its additional requirement water which is pumped from Ganjem River at Usgao, a tributary of Mhadei. Besides, the Opa Plants also get their water from Selaulim Dam which pumped into Kalem River, a tributary of Mhadei that flows into Khandepar River.
In case water is diverted, besides depriving the Opa plant of its daily requirement, the diversion project of Karnataka would increase the salinity of Mandovi River from Ganjem till Panjim, severely impacting the ecological balance and agriculture. The 25 MLD water treatment plant at Ganjem is designed to cater to the water needs of Dharbandora, Usgao, Ganjem, Sonaarbag, Savoi-Verem, Volvoi, Vagurme and Queim in Ponda taluka; Gulei, Khodli, Valpoi, and Pali in Sattari taluka.
With the rising townships and number of consumers, the demand for potable water has been increasing sharply.
With further rise in demand from the upcoming townships at Kadamba plateau, Old Goa in Tiswadi taluka and other areas, the Public Works Department (PWD) has taken up work of constructing an additional 27-MLD capacity water treatment plant at Opa. From the new treatment Plant at OPA, 15 MLD of water is expected to be supplied to the Kadamba plateau and surrounding Bainguinim areas of Tiswadi where about 4,000 people reside.
The fact that Goa would be facing acute water shortage was brought to the notice of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) team during its visit to the Opa Water Works plant in Curti-Khandepar Panchayat in the year 2013. The MWDT team, headed by Chairman Justice J M Panchal and members, Justice Viney Mittal and Justice P S Narayan, were also accompanied by government officials from the Karnataka state at that time. The team had also visited the proposed Ganjem (Mhadei River) water treatment facility in Usgao-Ganjem Panchayat.
