PANJIM: Villagers from Sonar Khed ward of Assagao have appeal to the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) to impose hefty penalty on Goa government and Public Works Department (PWD) for failing to provide sufficient and pure drinking water.
“This compensation should be paid to the people of Sonar Khed for mental agony and harassment faced by them or in alternative any order/s as this court may deem fit and proper as the circumstance of the case may warrant,” stated the rejoinder they filed to three-member bench.
In the rejoinder the villagers raised questions on PWD’s submission about spending Rs 14.58 lakh for setting up a bore well and purification plant.
“If the PWD has spent Rs 14, 58, 110 on installation of bore well and purification plant then till now why the people of Sonar Khed region are not getting sufficient and pure water for human consumption? The expenses made do not seem to be realistic nor in the interest of the people since the problem of the villagers are not solved at all after so much of expenditure,” the rejoinder states.
The villagers have also sought appointment of a Commissioner to inspect the water purification plant connected to the bore well and also be directed to submit a report within a specified time frame.
The issue comes against the backdrop of the Government recently launching its scheme wherein it has started providing free water of up to 16,000 litres per month to each household, from September 1.
The PWD however informed the GHRC that the issue is resolved as a new bore well is commissioned in February 2021. However, it is the argument of the villagers that they are being provided water which is not fit for drinking purposes. Their application has further stated that drinking water supplied through a new bore well constructed PWD led to health problems.
