TEAM HERALD
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PONDA: Believe it or not, a water tank worth crores of rupees is lying unused since it was built about seven years ago simply because authorities have failed to install a pipeline from the tank to homes in Nirankal-Bethora.
As a result, the PWD has been forced to supply water from bore-wells to about 350 houses in the village.
Incidentally, the government spent crores of rupees to build the water tank at Gowal-Nirankal and had even installed a pipeline from the Opa water works to the tank but no provision was made to provide a pipeline from the tank to houses.
“The tank as well as the pipeline from Opa to the tank was built after spending about Rs 8 crore and it would have benefited Nirankal, Shigrwal, Saterimal, Gawalwada, Mayde and Konse,” said a villager, Hemant Samant.
According to villagers, the issue of the unused water tank, which has a capacity of 800 cubic metres, was debated at many Gram Sabhas but nothing was done and villagers have been forced to use water from bore-wells.
When contacted, PWD (water works) Ponda Assistant Engineer N Parsekar said the proposal to install a pipeline for distribution of water to households has been sent for approval. “The project proposal estimated to cost about Rs 78 lakh has been sent for approval and once it is sanctioned, the work will be undertaken,” added Parsekar. However Parsekar, who has taken the charge of the office some six months back, failed to justify the delay in installing a pipeline from the water tank to houses for so many years.
