Team Herald
PONDA: Verem-Vagurme and Querim Panchayats on Tuesday strongly backed the proposed 12 MLD Khandepar Water Treatment Plant in the OPA River for Priol Constituency, initiated by local MLA and Arts and Culture Minister Govind Gaude.
They condemned former PWD minister Sudin Dhavalikar for objecting the project.
Sarpanch of Verem-Vagurme Satyawan Shilkar cleared the air saying that the Rs 100 crore proposed water treatment plant at Khandepar was not funded through the Scheduled Tribes Fund but through National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and even approved by the Cabinet when Sudin was then PWD minister.
“Dhavalikar is just trying to instigate the Scheduled Tribes people against the project keeping eye on the 2022 Assembly elections. When Sudin as then PWD minister was assuring Goans to provide 24×7 water supply, how he is now opposing the project that will supply water for at least 10 hours,” he claimed.
Shilkar said, “Sudin and his brother Deepak failed to solve water shortage as well as power problems. With Assembly elections fast approaching, the Dhavalikar brothers are objecting the project for vested interest.”
He questioned whether Dhavalikar is going to contest from Priol.
He said, “Dhavalikar brothers are jealous with the several development works launched by Minister Govind Gaude within a short span of time while they failed to bring at Priol. The locals badly need the project as they are facing water crisis. The project is brought considering the need of growing population of Priol and Sudin has no right to oppose the project as his brother, former MLA Deepak and he being a then PWD minister, failed to resolve the water crisis.”
Querim Sarpanch Anisha Gaude said, “As a woman she knows how the local women are crying to meet daily water requirement at Querim. Despite being a PWD minister Sudin failed to resolve our water crisis and now opposing the project out of jealousy and vested political interest.”
The locals and sarpanchas were furious over MGP leader and Marcaim MLA Dhavalikar opposing the project and threatening to a file petition in the High Court alleging duplication of work and claiming already such project is taken up at Ganjem.
