MARGAO
Water scarcity has hit some part of Salcete taluka in the last few days, including the village of Camurlim and parts of Betalbatim
While certain areas in these two villages had reported water scarcity last week, the situation has aggravated after the power shutdown taken by the department on Saturday to carry out the annual maintenance work, resulting in the disruption of water supply to South Goa.
At Camurlim, a JCB was seen at work to find out the damaged pipeline. Local residents have pointed out that they had never experienced water scarcity over the years, demanding an inquiry why the village has suddenly has been hit by water shortage.
The villagers further demanded that the PWD put a mechanism in place wherein the department will have a layout plan of the pipeline installed underground. “Today, when we questioned the PWD officials about the location of the underground line, we were told that concerned engineer has since been transferred to Porvorim and they will come to know of the location only after his arrival at the site”, a resident informed, saying the PWD should start working out the layout plan so that incumbent officials need not run around in search of the officials, who had laid the underground line.
Meanwhile, some parts of Ranvaddo in Betalbatim village have also complained of water scarcity in the last few days. They have demanded to know why the hotels located in the wards have not witnessed the water scarcity since they have not come across water tankers supplying water to the hotel establishments.
Betalbatim Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes admitted that residents of Ranvaddo ward have been facing water problems over the last few days. “When we called up the Power department officials to shed light on the water scarcity, they attributed the situation to the Power shut down taken by the Power department on Saturday”, he said
The residents pointed out that the water scarcity is a wakeup call for the government to save Madhei river to meet the water requirements of entire Goa. Sarpanch Anthony, however, pointed out that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has promised to ensure that the government will not allow the Mhadei river water to be diverted to Karnataka, adding that the people have confidence that the government will protect the interests of Goa.
