MAPUSA
Despite the heavy downpour this monsoon, several parts of Siolim have not received drinking water for the last six days, making life difficult for the locals.
Unable to face constant complaints of the villagers, the sarpanchas and panchayat members of the two villages “ Siolim-Marna and Siolim-Sodiem “ have warned the PWD department to either restore water supply within two days or face road blockade.
According to the locals, Siolim has been facing irregular water supply for the last six months. But what has upset the villagers more was the lack of water supply despite the State receiving good rainfall.
“We could understand irregular supply during the summer but now with so much rain we still don’t get water in our pipeline. How can anyone survive without drinking water for days together?” a local said.
The elected members of the village panchayats of Siolim-Marna and Siolim-Sodiem slammed the PWD department for failing to restore supply despite requesting them to do so.
“The villagers are asking us as to why there is no water supply even during rains. We have approached the PWD and requested them to take up the matter on priority but nothing has happened. We have raised the matter with the local MLA and even wrote to the PWD minister but have not got any relief so far. There is a water problem in almost every ward,” said Sharmila Vernekar, Sarpanch of Siolim-Marna.
Added Nilesh Vernekar, Sarpanch of Siolim-Sodiem: “We have made innumerable complaints to the PWD to restore supply. Our patience is running out. If our water problem is not resolved within the next two days then we will be forced to block the road.”
Panchayat member of Siolim-Marna, William Fernandes informed that he has been calling up the PWD officers and senior engineers on the water woes but all his appeals have fallen on deaf ears.
“We want to know why only our constituency has no water. It appears to be some man-made problem,” Fernandes alleged.
Vernekar said that people in Sodiem have not received a single drop of water for the last six days.
“In May, we ordered over 40 tankers by spending money as PWD did not have tankers,” he said and accused the valve operators of not operating it properly.
Former Siolim-Marna sarpanch Sylvester Fernandes, Fermina Fernandes and others were also present while speaking to the media.
