MAPUSA
At least 25 to 30 households in Zor-Vaddo, Anjuna, have been facing an acute water shortage for the past six to eight months, with PWD pipeline supply reduced to a mere trickle and often running dry. Despite the onset of the monsoon, residents say they are still deprived of the most basic necessity”drinking water.
“We don’t have a single drop of water. How are we supposed to keep buying water? We need money even for that. The tankers hardly come and this has become a daily struggle. We are literally crying for it,” said an Anjuna resident, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The affected area, located in Ward 5 of Anjuna Panchayat, comprises homes situated on elevated ground, further worsening the supply issue. Locals allege that while hotels and private villas along the coastal belt receive adequate water, villagers are left to fend for themselves.
“Why should we villagers suffer while our water is diverted to outsiders? Even during festivals, we’ve gone without water,” lamented local resident Sukanthi.
Another woman added, “We don’t have a drop of water for days. We can’t afford to keep buying water. Tankers rarely come, yet we continue receiving water bills.”
The Public Works Department (PWD) has been sending water tankers, but residents claim the supply is infrequent and insufficient to meet the needs of the entire area.
Fed up with repeated assurances and inaction, a group of locals gathered outside the PWD office in Mapusa. They said that despite raising the issue with local MLA Delilah Lobo, the problem remains unresolved.
Social worker and Siolim Congress Block President Parvati Nagvenkar, who has been supporting the villagers, said the PWD engineer had earlier promised to resolve the issue within eight days during a meeting held a month ago.
“These are not migrants”they’ve been Goans for generations and vote in every election. They deserve basic facilities like water,” she said, taking a dig at the local MLA for focusing more on social media than real issues. “Let her make a reel on these water woes.”
PWD Assistant Engineer Randhi Astekar stated the problem could be resolved within the next week, provided water is released to the existing pipeline. A long-term solution, he said, lies in the commissioning of a new water treatment plant, expected to be operational soon.
