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VASCO
In what could be a major exercise with serious consequences, the PWD is set to issue notices to hundreds of houses and establishments between Verna and Sada-Vasco, in a bid to clear encroachments on the water pipeline network.
According to PWD Assistant Engineer Eknath Paste, the PWD will also push for a clear-cut demarcation of government land to ensure there is free space above the water pipelines, especially near the roadside to carry repair and maintain PWD water pipelines.
Speaking to reporters, Paste said the PWD is likely to push for demolition of structures encroaching the area above water pipelines because it was extremely difficult to carry out any works due to these encroachments.
Several residents of Chicalim, including former Chicalim sarpanchas Raul Fernandes and Nilima Naik, had asked the PWD to immediately repair the leaking water pipelines.
Many residents had also hit out at the PWD for not acting to plug the water leakage on the main water pipelines for several months, thereby wasting thousands of litres of water each day.
Former Chicalim sarpanch Nilima Naik said the leaking water was being used by some labourers to bathe and wash clothes. “Contaminated water seeps into in the pipeline and contaminates the entire flow of water in the pipeline which caters to entire Mormugao taluka,” said Naik.
Another former sarpanch Raul Fernandes said the water pipeline had been leaking for many months and despite several complains, the PWD had not acted on it.
“Thousands of litres are being wasted everyday and on the other side, residents of Chicalim don’t get proper water supply. Since this is the main pipeline, other areas across Mormugao taluka also face water shortage,” said Fernandes.
Responding to these complaints, Paste told reporters that the PWD had recently been facing a lot of issues to repair the leaking water pipelines and had now decided to take the matter to the next level.
“The main factor is that there are several encroachments in the area where roadside pipelines have been laid and we find it difficult to carry out works on these pipelines.”
“Even works to lay defence cables are pending because there is no space. Even at some locations, we have to bifurcate between cables and pipelines and carry out works carefully, because we cannot use excavators as they could damage cables laid above water pipelines,” said Paste.
Paste said the PWD had undertaken a survey and has proposed to authorities to demarcate government land.
“Later, we will serve notices to all structures encroaching on the land. Notices will be issued to those houses or establishments between Verna and Sada which have encroached on the area where pipelines have been laid.”
“We may have to push for demolitions because we need clear cut access to our pipelines to maintain them and nobody should obstruct or create obstacles,” added Paste.
