Team Herald
PANJIM: Bardez and surrounding areas will finally receive tap water after a five-day shortage, following successful intervention by the Water Resources Department. With the help of Navy divers, the department has managed to open the jammed gates of Amthane dam in Bicholim, which will now allow water to flow to the Assonora water treatment plant.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
It may be recalled that the water supply to Bardez was severely hit after left bank canal carrying water to Goa from the Tillari reservoir was breached on Friday thereby plunging the whole of Bardez into drinking water crisis. While the supply from Tillari was entirely stopped to repair the canal, it turned out that the Water Resources Department (WRD) was unable to release water from the alternative source which happened to be the Amthane dam. It was reliably learnt after the Tillari supply was shut, the gates of Amthane dam were completely jammed.
For almost five days, after the Tillari canal ruptured, the Porvorim water treatment plant was shut down for want of raw water thus affecting supply to entire Bardez.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed regret over the delay and announced that an inquiry would be conducted into the issue. He assured that strict action would be taken against the engineer responsible for the delay in opening the gates of Amthane Dam.
For the past five to six days, Bardez taluka has been relying on tankers for potable water. CM Sawant stated, “The entire Bardez region has faced a water shortage for the past five to six days. We regret this situation. The shortage occurred due to a rupture in the Tillari canal, which is now being fully renovated.” Authorities in Maharashtra have informed that the repairs to the Tillari canal at Bhomwadi, Kudase, will take three more days to complete.
Despite alternative arrangements being made through the Amthane Dam, the gates were not opened until now. CM Sawant confirmed, “Action will be taken against the engineer responsible for the crisis.”
Social worker Rajesh Dabholkar also weighed in, urging the government to conduct a comprehensive study of the recurring water shortages faced by Bardez and Porvorim areas every January. Dabholkar emphasised the need to identify the root causes and develop sustainable solutions for equitable access
to water.
