Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar launches the construction of an open-type bandhara at Mudkud-Agonda.
CANACONA
Art and Culture Minister Ramesh Tawadkar on Monday lashed out at “inefficient officers” in the water supply department office in Canacona, which had led to inconveniences being faced by the people of Canacona.
“Simply building a bandhara won’t provide water to the people, but the water has to be lifted, filtered and supplied. The difficulties we encounter are because of the water supply department. The water supply officers have not improved and it’s a fact; and I am just fed up with them,” lamented Tawadkar.
He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the construction of a Rs 94.6 lakh open-type bandhara at Mudkud-Agonda, which has been a decades-long demand to improve the water supply network in the village.
“The bandhara will be completed in a month, but that doesn’t mean people will get water this year itself. We will have to make adjustments this year and this may be delayed because of the water supply department. Whatever little inconveniences that remain will be because of inefficient officers in the water supply department.”
“Only yesterday, I met Minister for the Department of Drinking Water Subhash Phal Dessai, and apprised him of the issue. Together, we will try to bring about some improvements in the officers. But still, if these works are not completed soon, please understand and give me a year's time. Having inefficient people in the water supply department, we had to bear with this trouble,” the minister added.
Others who spoke at the event included Agonda Sarpanch Nilesh Pagui, Dy Sarpanch and ward panch Karuna Phaldessai, and panch Fatima Rodrigues. Panch Ramnath Velip and ex-sarpanch Milagrina Fernandes were among the villagers also present.
The open-type bandhara will be 19.4 metres long, 3 metres in height and will have six openings of 2 metres each. Once completed, the bandhara will supply an enhanced and uninterrupted water supply to the people and help increase preservation of groundwater, as well as stop saline water from entering upstream of Agonda village.
