MARGAO
Capping the row over tapping water from the Sarzora and Dicarpale lakes for industrial use, WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar has said the WRD intends to only beautify these two lakes and augment their storage capacity for the purpose of irrigation.
He, however, said the WRD is exploring the possibility of tapping water from the Kushavati for industrial use, asserting there are no plans to divert water from the Sarzora and Dicarpale lakes for industrial use.
The WRD Minister told The Goan he had visited Dicarpale and Sarzora lakes last month as part of the initiative to beautify the water bodies and to see how best to augment the water storage for the purpose of irrigation.
When his attention was drawn to his statement that he would be visiting these lakes and the Kushvati river to tap water for industrial use, Shirodkar shot back, “Utilising the water from these two lakes for industrial use has never been on my agenda. I had only gone to these lakes for an inspection how to beautify them and utilise the water for irrigation.”
He, however, hastened to add that the government is planning to draw water from the Kushavati river for industrial use at Verna and Mormugao. “We plan to lay a direct line from Quepem to Davorlim to tap the Kushavati river. The idea is to lessen the burden on the existing water from Selaulim-Margao irrigation canal,” he added.
