Complaints of water scarcity ‘deluges’ Sunday Dialogue

MARGAO 
At a time when PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar appears hell bent in taking ‘excess’ Selaulim water to Ponda taluka, Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai’s Fatorda constituency has been hit by erratic water supply, even as Sardesai has promised his constituents to complete the pending underground power cabling in Fatorda at a cost of Rs 25 crore.
Complaints of water scarcity kept pouring at his Sunday Dialogue on Sunday with residents pointing out they do not get uninterrupted water supply for days and months. A visibly perturbed Sardesai said water supply appears a serious issue plaguing his Fatorda constituency, and the PWD Minister should take the issue seriously. “The PWD, Water section seemed to have failed as people in my constituency have complained of water scarcity. This is a serious issue. When the government is talking about cheap water and people are complaining of water scarcity, the department appears going wrong somewhere”, he said, adding that it is not enough for the PWD Minister to give a reply in the House when the ground reality appears different. 
On the sewerage front, citizens complained that they have not received the sewerage connection because of objection from the neighbours, while asking the Minister to explore the possibility of invoking the Health Act on the lines of issuing NOC for water and power supply. 
He said Fatorda will be totally connected by underground sewerage network as the government has granted financial sanction for the balance Rs 25 crore project. “Once completed, Fatorda will be fully connected by underground network”, he said. 
Sardesai also told the people that the Rs 25 crore Ravindra Bhavan-Arlem circle four-lane road will be ready and inaugurated by Statehood Day. 
On the maintenance of the Opinion Poll Square, the Minster said that a sweeping machine will soon be procured under the Make in India model for the upkeep and maintenance of the Square. 
The Goulliwaddo area of Fatorda, which is a cattle and dairy hub, will soon get a bio-gas unit, either through private initiative or via the Margao Municipality to convert the cow dung into power. “Power generated by the unit can be used by the local residents”, he added. 
The TCP Minister expressed his total displeasure over the lack of coordination between various departments on the question of road digging, while demanding an end to road cutting of newly hot mixed roads.