the goan I network
MAPUSA
There was perceptible anger and restlessness among the people of Mapusa and other parts of Bardez, as PWD failed to restore normalcy in water supply on Sunday.
Several residents were up in arms against the department for its failure to release water for the fourth consecutive day.
Junior Engineers and lower rung officials in the PWD faced the brunt of people’s anger as they were verbally abused on the phone. Mapusa, Assistant Engineer, Subhash Belgaonkar has kept his cell phone switched off.
To allay tensions, PWD dispatched water tankers to high altitude areas, which were worst affected due to the water crisis.
“We have been suffering for the last four days without a drop of water flowing from out taps. Where is the government? Who are we supposed to contact,” asked Adv Navin Bhivshet, anger perceptible in his eyes.
Bhivshet, who is a resident of Gaunsa-vaddo, Mapusa said that PWD was not bothered about the common man but ensured that hotels in the coastal belt got proper water supply.
“The entire ward has not received water since Wednesday but the Taj hotels in Sinquerim get supply without a break,” he alleged.
Several areas in Aldona, Siolim, Calangute, Porvorim and Tivim were also affected and have been receiving irregular supply.
“People are disturbed and upset on account of lack of proper water supply. They face tremendous difficulty in fetching water. For the last four days there is intermittent supply in the village,” said Nilkant Halarnkar, Tivim MLA.
He said PWD should have taken measures to keep a spare motor on standby at the Assonora treatment plant which was catering to such a huge area in Bardez.
“Our leader Pratapsingh Rane had proposed to set up a gen set at the Assonora treatment plant. The proposal has been lying with the government for the last one year,” Halarnkar said.
Several councilors of the Mapusa Municipal Council engaged the services of private water tankers to supply water to their voters.
“How can we ignore the appeals of the residents from out wards? It’s Ganesh festival and there is no water flowing from the PWD pipeline,” said Tushar Tople, councilor.
He said it was difficult to even hire the services of the water tankers as most of them were busy supplying water to other areas in Bardez.
“With great difficulty I got one water tanker from Bastora but had to shell out Rs 1,800 for the tanker which would normally cost Rs 800,” Tople said.
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BOX
Depriving water
during festival
is unacceptable,
says Braganza
MAPUSA: Mapusa Chairperson, Ryan Braganza on Sunday said that several parts of Mapusa was having serious water problem and expected the department to at least east the pain of the people during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
“Chaturthi is the biggest festival in Goa. It’s totally unacceptable to deprive people water during the festival. If the department has to carry out any maintenance work then they should postpone it to a later date,” said Braganza, sounding a little exasperated.
He said he has been getting calls from aggrieved residents for the last three to four days on lack of water supply.
