PERNEM
After already facing erratic water supply for several days, residents in Pernem taluka are set to suffer further with the PWD stating that water supply will be restricted to the taluka for five days from Tuesday till Saturday, on account of repair work of the water pumps at the Chandel Water Treatment Plant (WTP).
The Chandel WTP project supplies water to 20 panchayats and Pernem municipality in the taluka and a number of breakdowns have prompted the PWD to repair the pumps.
When contacted, Deputy Chief Minister Babu Ajgaonkar said the issue was discussed with officials in the presence of PWD Minister Deepak Pawaskar four months back.
“If the problem still persists, I will raise my voice despite being in the government,” assured Ajgaonkar.
Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte promised to resolve the issue in the next 4 days.
“The problem began when cleaning work at the Tillari canal was undertaken. I have requested the government to buy new pumps. I will discuss the matter with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and PWD Minister Deepak Pawaskar about the issue. Till then, locals will be provided with tanker water,” said Sopte.
Former Pernem deputy mayor Siddhesh Pednekar and a group of locals from Surban Waddo marched to the PWD office in Pernem to complain about the water problem since the last eight days.
There are about 17,980 water connections in Pernem for a population exceeding over one lakh.
Two years ago, Sopte had conducted a meeting of all sarpanchas from Mandrem constituency to discuss the water supply issue and he has now assured to follow up on the new water project in Tuem.
When contacted, PWD Minister Deepak Pawaskar said the problem would be solved by 2022 when the expansion of the Chandel project is completed.
