Terrible Tuesday for
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM/PONDA: As Goans waited in trepidation for what could have turned out to be a terrible Tuesday, given the scarcity of water, regular power cuts and expected rise in vegetable prices~ topped by curtailed supply of meat~gravity too took a hit .
Water supply to residents from Ponda and Tiswadi talukas was disrupted on Tuesday. Taleigao too had been hit by water shortage for almost two days earlier this week, as soil from the sewerage severely damaged a 600 mm water supply pipeline. Also curtailed electricity supply to the Opa plant has reduced the pumping capacity of the plant for almost three to four days.
However, officials, while admitting that there were electricity supply problems from the grids, argued that water shortages are normal at this time of the year due to pre monsoon maintenance.
“These are routine shutdowns, for pre monsoon maintenance. Small repairs, nothing major,” PWD principal chief engineer, J S Rego told Herald, even as he went on to claim that this year the power situation was better than last year.
Electricity Department officials said that normally pre-monsoon maintenance work is done in April and May, even though they admit that there has been a problem with the power supply to the Kadamba station which normally gets some 110 KVA. For three to four days it was quite acute with even elevators in many buildings at Patto not functioning.
Officials admit that during peak time ~10 am to 1 pm ~ there is a problem, but argue that it is not too serious. However, they do admit that if there is a power supply problem, then water supply too will be affected. Rego says that tenders have been issued for pre-monsoon works all over the state.
Today, since the Opa Water Works~ which supplies about 140 MLD of potable water~ had shut down for annual maintenance, there was restricted water supply to parts of the state.
Engineers at Opa works say the plant is shut down annually only for a day to carry out maintenance of the machinery. “Maintenance work will be completed within a day and water distribution will resumed on Wednesday. Once a year, the plant machinery is shut down for maintenance work,” a source informed.
Water Resource Department (WRD) said there is no need to worry over availability of water as the water level is maintained by pumping additional water from Ganjem (Mhadei river) and from Selaulim dam. At the moment, the water level at Opa is 2.51 metres and minimum requirement for the plant to function is about 1.7 to 2 metres (water level).
“The main source of water to Opa is from river Khandepar that originates at Dudhsagar and based on requirements, water from Ganjem (Mhadei river) is pumped into Kale River that connects Khandepar river. Water is also pumped through the Selaulim dam,” a source said.
However, in Agonda, like every year, residents are complaining about water scarcity during summer. But this year, the situation was worse as taps went dry for last two and half weeks and to add to it water levels in the wells ebbed.
Officials’ claim that there is no water left in Chapora dam, the prime source of water for Agonda village and that frequent power failure is yet another reason for water scarcity in the village.
Speaking to Herald, residents complained that their grievances are not been taken seriously by the concerned officials, even after repeated reminders. “It’s been over two weeks now since there is no water. We are going to wells to fetch water. The water level in wells is also going down due to increasing heat and over exploitation,” a resident said adding ‘some people have bore-wells but that water cannot be consumed as it is saline’.
“There is no water, no power….it’s very hot…how can one stay in such place,” Mac, a tourist from Germany said.
Taleigao was hit by water shortage for almost two days earlier this week, not due to power shut down but caving in of soil which caused major damage to a 600 mm water supply pipeline.
The PWD CE-I D S Borkar said that the problem took place near the Taleigao community hall and the pipeline had to be shut down for repairs.
“Water supply to Taleigao, Dona Paula, Cabo Raj Bhavan and surrounding areas was affected for a day and a half,” Borkar informed. He, however, added that the PWD made arrangements to supply water to the affected areas through tankers.
The problem of soil settlement is likely to occur, as the PWD has been pumping out ground water from the trenches dug for laying sewerage lines.
Since the ground water table in Taleigao area is high, it severely affects on-going works for laying sewerage lines. This is forcing the PWD to pump out the water which is beginning to take its toll on the soil in and around Taleigao.
The PWD has moved a proposal for changing the designs for laying the sewerage lines in a bid to reduce contact with the ground water and to avoid pumping out of water.
Meanwhile, the threat of the All India Motor Transport Congress to ensure a total blockage of Goa by stopping the loading of vehicles bound for Goa at the Belgaum market had little effect on either the supply of vegetables or milk to the state.
Managing Director of the Goa State Horticulture Corporation (GSHC) Orlando Rodrigues said the trucks supplying commodities to them reached the state without any trouble.
“Our trucks are reaching the state. The threats to stop loading are hollow. Loading has nothing to do with transporting. Besides at this time of the year farmers in Belgaum receive a higher price for their crop. They are unlikely to forego that,” Rodrigues said.
Milk supply too was unaffected with the chairman of the Goa Dairy saying that milk supplies were smooth and normal.
