Margao: Residents of Odlem Bhat and Acsona in Benaulim village on Monday decided to present a memorandum to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant regarding their water problem as they alleged that their local MLA Churchill Alemao has neglected the problem for over a year now.
Around 50 villagers gathered at the Perodem ground with empty pots and buckets. Later as a form of protest against the government inaction, they broke the pots. At the meeting of the villagers that was convened by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), it was recalled that they had discussed the same issue at the same plae, exactly a year ago on December 28, 2019.
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AAP Benaulim co-ordinator Capt Venzy Viegas urged the villagers to remain united and mocked the BJP government’s Har Ghar Jal Yojana that was recently announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“What is the point of having a pipeline if there is no water in the pipes at all,” he asked, highlighting the problem faced by the people gathered.
Newly-elected Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Member Hanzel Fernandes, who is an engineer by training, suggested that as an immediate measure, the authorities be asked to install valves at different places on the line providing water to the households from the main line.
“As this area is on a slope, the water tends to rush to the last which is the lowest point first and hence it would be better if we have valves in between to stop the water from rushing down, and release it there only after the higher placed houses get the supply,” he suggested.
As the villagers were demanding that an entire new pipeline be laid, it was decided to take up that issue too and accordingly on January 5 2021, a letter addressed to the PWD authorities will be submitted with copies marked to the CM and also the Benaulim MLA.
The villagers demanded that the water problem be resolved before Easter and said they cannot wait for another Christmas where they have to prepare their Christmas sweets with bottled water. Luiza Ferrao, a local added that they are forced to use water from the wells, which is tiresome and wondered if the water pipelines are laid.
Diogo Fernandes also pointed out that for quite some years now, they haven’t been receiving piped water and added that the problem seems to occur most during festive and particularly Christmas season. Some of the villagers alleged that water meant for the villagers is diverted to the starred hotels.
The villagers, while rejecting the authorities’ suggestion that they erect an overhead water storage tank, asked the government to construct a tank to store water for the villagers instead, just like the tank that is being constructed at neighbouring Varca.
While Hanzel said he would come to the ward to collect their signatures on the letter within two days, Capt Venzy said AAP will work out the modalities of submitting the copy to the CM, while claiming that the local MLA has remained unresponsive.
