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THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA: While the State received record rainfall in the past three days, taps in entire Mapusa and parts of Bardez went dry for as many days.
Until Saturday evening, there was no change in the situation as residents of Mapusa had to go without PWD pipeline water for the fourth straight day.
“For the last three days we have had not a drop of water. I am shifting my family to a hotel today. How can we live without water for so many days?” said an exasperated Adv Satish Rao of Ansabhat, Mapusa.
Upset and annoyed with the situation, several locals blamed the government machinery for failing its people in the State.
“We can understand there is a problem for a day. But when we don’t receive supply for three days on the trot it shows there is some problem with the system,” said Pradeep Joshi, an insurance advisor and a resident of Khorlim, Mapusa.
Almost all areas in Mapusa like Khorlim, Ansabhat, Feira-Baixo, Altinho, Gaunsa-vaddo, Ganeshpuri, Housing Board, Dangui Colony, Duler, Xelpem, Cunchelim, Carras-vaddo and other areas did not get supply for the last three days.
People had to rely on private tankers for water and had to shell out money for the same. Several building societies in the city had no other option but to order water from private water tankers.
“With no water flowing from the pipeline, I had to order water from private tankers by paying Rs 500 per tanker,” said Prakash Bhivshet of Gaunsa-vaddo.
PWD officials appeared clueless but sources informed The Goan that the problem was due to some issues at the Assonora water treatment plant.
Erratic power supply was also one of the major causes for the irregular supply of water.
Mapusa received just 7 MLD of water in the last two days when the actual requirement is 15 MLD per day clearly indicating the size of the problem.
“Due to heavy rain, all the muck is washed into the canal and the water at the Assonora Treatment Plant has become turbid. The production of treated water has been reduced at the plant by 10 percent,” said R Barretto, Executive Engineer PWD (water division).
None of the PWD officials, however, were ready to give a commitment on when normal supply will be restored to the city.
Almost all city councillors were pretty annoyed with the situation as people were getting frustrated and questioning them.
“We have had this problem for the last three days. This cannot go on like this. People in responsible positions should give a firm commitment whether supply will be restored within 12 hours or 24 hours. This is not done,” said Ryan Braganza, Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC).
Mapusa MLA Johsua D’Souza also admitted that there was a problem and the authorities were trying their best to rectify the problem.
“The problem is with the pumping facility and the filtration at the treatment plant. The power fluctuation at the site also adds to the problem. I have been talking continuously with the PWD minister and the power minister. They are in the process of resolving the issue,” D’Souza said.
No one knows for certain when the officials will be able to fix the problem but people in Mapusa are getting very jittery.
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INSET
PWD minister says supply to be restored by evening, but taps continue to run dry MAPUSA: Assuring that normal supply would be restored by Saturday evening, PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar said the problem at the Assonora Treatment Plant was resolved.
“There was an issue with a pump at the treatment plant which has been repaired and installed. Water will be pumped and supply restored by Saturday evening,” Pauskar said.
“With a long term vision in mind, government is planning to install a new pump at the plant later,” he added.
He also said that government has taken steps to ensure that power interruption and fluctuations do not hamper water supply to Bardez in future.
But the minister’s statement was not in sync with the ground reality and water supply was not restored to Mapusa till late on Saturday evening.
