PORVORIM: Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Nilesh Cabral on Thursday assured Members in Legislative Assembly that within a year all households in the State will get at least three to four hours of water supply daily.
“Though the government’s intention is to provide 24-hour water supply to each household in the State, within a year at least three to four hours of water supply would be ensured to them. However, it would be applicable to only those houses which are not above 50-metre height,” he said while replying during discussion on demands for grants for the PWD for the current fiscal year.
He further said some water treatment plants will be provided with generators to ensure proper water supply. Pointing out that out of 600 MLD water, 200 MLD is wasted due to leakages, he said new water meters will be fitted on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode to prevent leakages.
Cabral said within the next eight months, all the speed breakers on the roads across the State will be as per the standard and if not done the action will be taken against junior engineers, assistant engineers and executive engineers. There will be no speed-breakers on the national highways across the State, he said.
“As per the Supreme Court order there cannot be speed breakers on national highways. There can be only rumbler strips. However, the Government of India would be installing AI cameras to track overspeeding vehicles,” he said.
The PWD Minister also assured the House that the encroachments along national highway 66 would be removed within two months.
The Minister informed the House that the department will conduct a structural audit of all culverts and minor bridges and those in poor condition would be repaired. He said the PWD will tie-up with the Goa Electronics Limited (GEL) to develop software where all the water tankers will be registered. There would be three categories for registration of the tankers. The mobile app launched for reporting potholes will henceforth be used for lodging complaints of water leakages as well. Complaints regarding speed breakers or sign boards can also be made on the app, he added.
