Water scarcity fears grow amid mega housing projects in Ponda

Growing fears of future water scarcity have emerged in Ponda taluka, including Priol, where sev eral mega housing projects are either under construc tion or in the proposal stage. According to reliable sources, water scarcity arising from a proposed mega housing project in a panchayat within the Pri ol constituency is likely to dominate discussions at the gram sabha scheduled for Sunday. Residents, par ticularly those living at the tail end of the water supply network, fear that they may not receive adequate water once large housing projects begin drawing from exist ing sources. People across various parts of the taluka have al ready been complaining of water shortages. Recently, villagers from Bethora and Bandora raised concerns over irregular water supply and water scarcity, adding to the growing unease. Residents of the Priol con stituency are especially wor ried about a proposed mega housing project comprising around 900 flats and bun galows. Fearing that such a large development could trigger a severe water crisis in the future, villagers have decided to raise the issue at the upcoming gram sabha. Villagers also recalled that a ₹100-crore Bandhara drinking water project pro posed on the Khandepar river downstream of the OPA treatment plant at Murdi Khandepar was scrapped by the government following protests by Murdi Khande par residents. Now, residents question from where water would be sourced for new mega projects, warning that such developments could further deprive tail-end are as of adequate supply. Apart from water con cerns, villagers fear that large-scale projects would erode village identity and lead to loss of greenery. Environmental activist Sandeep Parkar from Khan depar, Ponda, said Goa lacks the carrying capacity for mega projects. “People are already struggling to get water for even two hours. In the future, the next genera tion of Goans will struggle to get land for housing due to such projects,” he said, adding that the government should not encourage large developments. Echoing similar views, local resident Naresh Naik said mega projects would lead to excessive concreti sation, stripping Goa of its natural beauty and turning it into a concrete jungle.