PANAJI
The Department of Drinking Water (DDE) has said that water supply-related services are now available through a single-window system, allowing consumers to lodge complaints, track their status, apply for water connections and road-cutting permissions, as well as make payments online through the “PWD GOA” mobile application.
A compliance note submitted by the DDE Chief Engineer to the Goa Human Rights Commission comes after the Commission took cognisance of allegations that residents of Korgao have been receiving saline water through their taps for nearly a year. The Commission had sought detailed reports from senior government officials on the prolonged water quality issue.
The department’s reply further stated that the “PWD GOA” app is a citizen-centric, real-time, GIS-based mobile application that provides a common interface for services offered by the Public Works Department and the DDE. Around 5,398 citizens have so far been onboarded onto the application.
“The system has been designed to consolidate procedures relating to water connections and allied services into a unified interface, eliminating the need for citizens and commercial applicants to visit multiple departments. Through the app, consumers can report drinking water supply-related issues, leakages in the water supply network and other grievances after one-time registration. They can also upload the exact location of the complaint, track the status of the grievance and receive feedback once the issue is resolved,” it said.
The department has also proposed using the application to disseminate information on water supply breakdowns, emergency shutdowns, preventive maintenance schedules and other service-related issues.
Such announcements, it said, will be made live through the “PWD GOA” app so that members of the public can receive first-hand information about situations affecting their locality or area.
The department has further stated that a 24x7 helpline has been made available through two dedicated mobile numbers -- 7030055136 and 7030055036 -- in addition to the mobile application.
The single-window mechanism also covers road-cutting permissions required for obtaining water connections. The department said the application and approval process for road-cutting permission has been incorporated into the same online interface.
“Applicants can submit requests, track their progress and obtain approval for both the water connection and the associated road-cutting permission without having to physically visit the concerned office, according to the compliance note,” the compliance report said.
An online payment facility has also been integrated into the system.
The services have also been onboarded onto the State's Goa Online portal as part of the Ease of Doing Business framework.
