Says 20 MLD of excess water is still there to be tapped and it can be used in the district for drinking purpose; insists that water scarcity may be the result of old and ageing underground water lines
the goan I network
MARGAO
Will PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar’s decision to take drinking water from the Selaulim water project to Ponda taluka affect potable water to South Goa, including Salcete and the Port Town of Vasco or hit the water allocated for irrigation purposes in the district?
Dhavalikar said a firm no, even as these questions came to the fore recently after taps in many parts of Fatorda, including Borda, represented by TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, received low water pressure. In fact, the TCP Minister is believed to have forcefully taken up the issue of water scarcity to Fatorda, but the PWD Minister has insisted that the water scarcity may be as a result of the old and ageing underground water lines in the city and in no way connected to his decision to take 10 MLD of water from Selaulim to Ponda.
“South Goa areas, including Salcete and Mormugao require around 30 MLD of drinking water supply from the Selaulim project. We have not reduced even one MLD of water supply to these two major areas,” Dhavalikar told The Goan.
He further went on to say that he has taken only 10 MLD of water from Selaulim out of the 30 MLD excess water from the Selaulim project. “Even after taking 10 MLD of water to Ponda from the Selaulim pipeline, around 20 MLD of excess water is still there to be tapped and can be used in the district for drinking purpose,” he said.
When his attention was drawn to fears and apprehensions that taking excess water from the Selaulim line, which was primarily conceived and conceptualised for irrigation purposes, may hit irrigation in South Goa district, Dhavalikar sought to allay all apprehensions saying Selaulim dam has enough water to meet the drinking needs as well as for irrigation. “We can provide 60 MLD of water from Selaulim every day for drinking purposes. Besides, the project has the capacity to supply 100 MLD of water for irrigation purposes,” he added.
The PWD Minister, however, hastened to add there’s gross wastage of water from the Selaulim irrigation canal at several places which needs to be plugged for better management of water.
Interestingly, the PWD Minister, who hails from Ponda taluka, reminded all and sundry that Margao was provided drinking water supply from the Opa water works in the past, sending home the message that taking 10 MLD of water from the Selaulim project to Ponda will not affect the existing water distribution system. “Before Selaulim project was executed, Margao was provided water from the Opa water works. The Selaulim water project was conceived by Dayanand Bandodkar to meet the water requirements of South Goa,” Dhavalikar added.
