the goan I network
PANAJI
Villagers of Nagoa-Verna have decided to set-up a village panel to look into the water conservation measures needed in view of water tankers supplying water from the Verna village to the Verna Industrial Estate so that the village doesn’t face water crisis in the next five to 10 years.
The move was a follow-up of the programme explaining the contents of Laudato Si’ on the care for our common home by Pope Francis. The Pope’s encyclical letter is on the preservation of ecology and environment.
Savio Pinto, convenor, stated that a write-up published in a prominent Goan newspaper on July 27, 2015, had pointed out that “Verna has ground water reserves for the next three to five years and thereafter the villagers will have to look towards heaven or migrate.”
“Nearly 400 industries in Verna Industrial Estate need about 100 million litres of water per day (mld) with the PWD supplying over one million litres a day. So where the balance water is sourced from?” he questioned.
Besides Savio, the ad-hoc panel has Gaby Fernandes, Gilbert Fernandes, Neville Fernandes, Godfrey Costabir, Avita Fernandes and Snovia Colaco. More villagers will be included subsequently.
The members expressed: “People have not realised that they could face grave problems if over-exploration of water resources is not stopped. There is an urgent need to create awareness among youngsters on the need to conserve and also to stop the indiscriminate use and abuse of water by tankers and digging borewells.”
During a 45-minute power-point presentation, Jovito Lopes recalled former president Dr Abdul Kalam’s views on the need to conserve water. “We need to think of the future generation in such a way that extraction of water from our ecosystem does not exceed its natural replacement capacity,” he said.
Fr Edson Anthony Fernandes, the Parish Priest of Nagoa-Verna church said water conservation was not a job reserved solely for technicians, soil scientists, hydrologists, planners, farmers and industrialists. “It is up to each and everyone of us to save water. Water conservation requires forethought and effort from all. There is a need to make changes in our lifestyles that will change the course of our water usage,” Fr Fernandes pointed out.
A presentation on mosquito-borne diseases like
malaria, dengue, chikungunya, filaria was made by Dr Socorro Quadros from the
Health Services.
