THE GOAN NETWORK
CANACONA
Residents in Agonda have been suffering from acute water shortage since the last 10 days.
According to sources, some households have not being receiving sufficient water since the last three months and they have blamed the PWD for failing to resolve the situation.
Agonda gets its supply from two water sources, the treated water from the Overhead Tank from the Water Treatment Plant at Shristhal (Chapoli Dam) and water pumped from the village itself at Mudkud river.
Locals claimed that while the village reservoirs have enough supply, the PWD has allegedly failed to manage water supply in the village and supplies water only on alternate days and that too, in different areas on rotation.
While water pumped from Mudkud is supplied only to limited areas, locals said water supply on alternate days to areas like Karashirmoll, Parvem, Dhavalkhazan, Dessaiwada, Val and Igrejwada Mudcheli have also been affected.
They have complained of irregular water supply since the past 10 days on account of the breakdown of a pump at the Mudkud river and alleged that the PWD was not responding to their calls.
Mudkud panch and former Agonda sarpanch Pramod Phaldessai blamed the PWD for the regular breakdown of the pump.
“The PWD has failed to service this pump and has to then run from pillar to post to get the pump repaired,” lamented Phaldessai.
With the situation turning grim, aggrieved people sought the intervention of Deputy Speaker and Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes.
Isidore accuses PWD of being ‘clueless’ while people suffer
THE GOAN NETWORK
CANACONA
Admitting that erratic water supply is a problem not only in Agonda but in the entire Canacona, an unhappy Deputy Speaker and Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes accused a “clueless” PWD of failing to ensure adequate water supply in the taluka.
According to sources, the pump at Mudkud was reportedly taken up for repairs on Saturday, but as the water failed to reach most people Fernandes went to Mudkud to take stock of situation on Monday and left only after the pump was made functional.
Fernandes supervised the staff attending to the broken pump in the presence of Canacona AE (Water-supply) Lester and Junior Engineer Deepraj Madkaikar.
With the pump being repaired by evening, people were assured of water supply by 6 pm on Monday but many houses were yet to receive water till late night.
“The water situation is grim not only in Agonda but entire Canacona taluk and this is mainly due to the failure on part of the Canacona PWD to augment the supply. There is enough water pumped and treated, but PWD has become clueless to supply water in the taluka,” Fernandes told The Goan.
“Besides attending to complaints from people, I had even invited PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar to get first-hand information of the situation.”
“While some changes are taking place and we expect improvement in water supply once the new pipeline and newly constructed overhead water tanks are made operational in Canacona municipality, people in villages continue to suffer.”
“At times, I feel that inviting the PWD minister is a waste of my efforts. The PWD officers are unable to resolve the miseries of people pleading for better water supply,” Fernandes added.
The Canacona MLA said he was surprised to see ample water in the Mudkud river and said the water could easily meet the requirements of Agonda and can even be supplied to neighbouring areas.
