PANJIM: Even as the ‘VIP’ first criteria of the government continue for the PWD water supply, PWD has notched up a bill of Rs 11 lakh in the last five days for the supply of water by tankers.
Sources in the Goa Fire Brigade said that the IAS officers and other top bureaucrats continued to demand water pumps and personnel despite the Herald report “IAS official’s empty entire tankers in their homes as Panjimites struggle for water”.
Instead of taking action against the IAS officers or bureaucrats, some Fire officials were rounded up on Tuesday for spilling the beans to the media, sources said.
As per information received from PWD Assistant Engineer there are 28 tankers pressed into service, out of which only six are of the PWD and rest all belong to private operators. Each operator is paid Rs 2,400 per 12 cubic meter tanker, he said.
As per statistics available the tankers have made 440 trips altogether till 6 pm on August 20. Calculating 440 trips at the rate of 2,400 the total comes to Rs 10,50,000 approx.
PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar said that the water supply would be resumed by 12 pm on August 21.
While PWD claimed they have made 440 trips residents deny the claim as a society member of Emma Apartments Caranzalem said he has token no of 341 and is yet to get water.
Residents complain that the water was going mainly to VIP areas in Altinho and the citizens are hardly taken care of. A resident of Bhatlem, Sandeep Naik said that tankers coming to the area are mostly climbing to Altinho and hardly any tanker is coming to the locality.
