ANJUNA: Residents of Zor Vaddo, Ward No. 5, Anjuna, have protested against the severe water scarcity plaguing their community for the past six years. The water supplied by Public Works Department (PWD) doesn’t have enough force and the locals have to rely on an alternative borewell that has since become contaminated.
The contamination of the borewell water has been attributed to the improper disposal of sewage and drainage by nearby hotel resorts into the local nallah.
Despite numerous complaints lodged with the Panchayat, PWD, Health Department, Pollution Control Board, Police Station, Collector, and the local MLA, no action has been taken to resolve the issue.
The residents have been protesting the extreme water scarcity that has plagued their neighbourhood for the past six years. For years, the water has been contaminated by surrounding sewage discharge from the surrounding hotels and resorts into the local nallah.
According to the locals, despite multiple complaints to the Panchayat, PWD, Health Department, Goa State Pollution Control Board, Anjuna police Station, North Goa Collector, and local MLA, no action has been taken to address the problem.
The protesting women villagers shouted, “We want water, we want water.”
A local resident said, “The government is talking of ‘Har Ghar Jal’ ensuring tap water supply to every household. But it is only sloganeering by the government and the end result in zero. Here we are still struggling for water.”
He further pointed out that even the well water is contaminated and there were incidents of residents suffering due to consumption of contaminated water. He also threatened that the residents will now hold a protest demonstration at the PWD (water supply) office.
Narrating her ordeal, an elderly woman said, “I cannot walk long distance with utensils to fetch water and have to use the contaminated water from the well, except for drinking and cooking, as neighbours are providing mepotable water.”
PWD Executive Engineer (Div 17), Vasuraj Karmalker said, “The village being at the tail-end of the supply line, the residents are not getting enough water. So, as a short-term solution, we are installing a nano-filter in the borewell and as a long-term measure, we will be soon installing a 5.6 MLD water treatment facility at Assagao.”
