MAPUSA
Goa may take the credit of being the first State in the country to provide 100 percent tap water connections in rural areas, but taps in several villages run dry leaving locals at the mercy of PWD authorities.
Unable to get any response from PWD authorities despite registering several complaints of irregular water supply, residents of Anjuna-Caisua and Assagao on Friday marched to the office of the Mapusa water supply department (PWD) to register their protest.
Finding that the assistant engineer and the junior engineer concerned did the vanishing act and were not present to hear their grievances, the residents blocked the main road in front of the PWD office bringing the entire traffic to a halt.
Mapusa police rushed to the spot and pacified the protesters, who later relented and opened the road for traffic.
The aggrieved residents then shifted their protest in front of the PWD office blocking the entrance to the department.
“For the last nearly two years, residents of Assagao have been struggling to get proper pipeline water. This is a gross violation of human rights,” said Aishwarya Salgaonkar, a social activist.
A local, Vishnu Talkatkar, demanded that the department should supply water to the residents by tankers until normal supply was restored.
“Every time there is water scarcity in the village, we meet the PWD officials who promise to set things right but nothing improves,” said Talkatkar.
Anjuna panchayat member Shital Dabholkar said the PWD officials failed to remain present to hear out the grievances of the locals.
“The chief minister should intervene in the matter and ensure smooth water supply to all the locals,” Dabholkar said.
Former deputy sarpanch of Anjuna, Keshav Palyekar warned that if proper water supply was not restored in next 15 days then the villagers will block the road and hold a hunger strike in front of the PWD office.
