MAPUSA
Admitting that Bardez was facing acute shortage of drinking water for the last 10 years, Ports Minister Michael Lobo on Saturday assured to set up a 15 MLD water treatment plant at the Pilerne Industrial Estate (PIE) to resolve the water woes of Calangute-Candolim and surrounding villages.
He said a pipeline bringing raw water from Tillari irrigation canal has been laid up to the Calangute police station, which will be directed to the PIE, where the treatment plant will be set up on government land. “Preliminary drawing and estimates are ready. The initial estimated cost of the project is Rs 20 crore. Budgetary provision has also been made. I assure the people of Calangute that within a year after laying the foundation stone for the project, people of Calangute, Candolim and surrounding villages will get 24-hour water supply,” Lobo said.
The ports minister was addressing the locals while inaugurating works to hot-mix the road from Calangute to Baga at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore.
Calangute ZP member Dattaprasad Dabholkar, former sarpanchas Anthony Menezes, Shawn Martins and Francisco Rodrigues and other panchayat members were also present.
Lobo informed that Calangute was getting just 9 MLD of water supply as of now, when the actual requirement was 28 MLD. “There is almost a 10-fold increase in guest-houses, resorts, hotels and restaurants in Calangute. The demand has increased but the supply has remained static for the last several years. We have, therefore, taken steps to set up the treatment plant,” he said.
He said out of the 15 MLD Tillari water supplied to the treatment plant to be set up in Pilerne, around 4 MLD raw water will be supplied to the industrial estate.
He further disclosed that the GIDC has agreed to deposit one fourth of the total cost to set up the treatment plant.
“The treatment plant will take care of water requirement of Calangute, Candolim, Arpora-Nagoa and full Saligao areas,” he said.
The Ports Minister informed that work orders of most of the incomplete works in Calangute have been issued.
“Hot-mixing of various internal roads will be taken up before monsoon. Road to Fort Aguada will also be completed,” he said.
Former sarpanchas Anthony Menezes, Shawn Martins and Francisco Rodrigues also spoke on the occasion.
