In a strange situation, residents and farmers of Eda, Cotigao in Canacona taluka remained without water, while dogs and cattle found an easy source of water. It happened last week when labourers digging to erect a transformer, ruptured an underground water pipeline and disrupted water supply to the entire village. The fault has still not been repaired.
Shashikant Velip, a local, told Herald that the labourers were informed of the pipeline, but continued to dig resulting in the disruption.
Locals also alleged that the work of laying the foundation for the transformer was poor and that very little cement was used. This was evident when the water pipeline ruptured and water gushed out damaging some layers of the concrete structure.
The transformer is being erected to supply electricity to Nadkem village, which falls within Cotigao wildlife sanctuary.
Canacona Electricity Assistant Engineer Coutinho said that Junior Engineer Hemant Vernekar in charge of that area was supervising the work and that he was unaware of the incident.
The JE said that he too was not aware of the situation. He blamed the contractor Aayesh Aya. When contacted Aya said that his work was that of laying the underground cables and he has finished the work long ago and said it was a Margao contractor who had been tasked with the installation of the 11 KV transformer.
The work of electrification, that of laying underground cables was estimated at around Rs 53 lakh and was slated to be completed last year, but is still to become operational.
Executive Engineer Santosh Lolayekar told Herald last week that he would visit the site on Sunday, but failed to make it and promised to inspect the site on Wednesday and once again failed to turn up.
Lolayekar said that the work has been completed and is awaiting a minister for the inauguration. He further added that this is the first time in Goa that sanction has been accorded for laying of electricity underground cables in the forest area.
Till Wednesday evening the water pipeline repair work had not been completed and the people were struggling to source water for their consumption since the past one week.
