CANACONA
The Team Vision & Mission, Progressive Canacona led by Congress leader Janardhan Bhandari has filed a police complaint against PWD officials, accusing them of supplying contaminated water to Agonda and surrounding areas through the water tank/plant at Parve-Betul, Agonda.
They have demanded that the police register an FIR and investigate the matter, to protect the lives of thousands of unsuspecting innocent people.
Later speaking to reporters, Bhandari said they had filed a complaint against PWD officers for negligence in duties and intentionally endangering the lives of thousands of innocent people of Agonda village and surrounding area by supplying contaminated, unhygienic and unfiltered water.
“This issue had been discussed in the Gram Sabha of Agonda and a joint inspection was done by elected representatives along with PWD officers. But the PWD officers failed to take remedial measures to improve the quality of water and instead continued to supply the same dirty water to Agonda and surrounding areas,” said Bhandari.
In the police complaint, Bhandari stated that when they visited the plant at Parve, Betul-Agonda along with some other vigilant villagers of Agonda, they found the entire site of the plant in a very pathetic condition.
“The entire plant is in a messy condition, with bushes/plants/small trees growing up everywhere. The tank where water is stored was wide open, without any cover. A rusted, broken, half wooden-half iron ladder was inside the tank and the entire water inside was muddy, and heavily contaminated.”
“The filter installed at the site to purify water is not only in non-functional condition, but its overall condition is really appalling. The same unhygienic, muddy water in the tank then without filtering it, lifted to the overhead tank to supply the same to Agonda and surrounding areas. Even the pipelines installed at the water plant are faulty, rusted and in dreadful condition,” the complaint stated.
Bhandari stated that even after hue and cry from people about dirty water, the persons named in the complaint still continue to supply dirty, disease-prone water through such rusty pipelines to people.
“We demand that police authorities take cognisance of our complaint and register a FIR against the persons named in our complaint for supplying unhygienic, toxic, contaminated water from Parve, Betul-Agonda water plant to Agonda and surrounding areas and endangering their lives to chronic diseases. Such an action will awaken the consciousness of these PWD officers and they will supply potable water to the public,” said Bhandari.
Besides Janardhan Bhandari, others present to submit the complaint to Canacona PI Harish Raut Dessai included Vikas Bhagat, Vaishal Pagi, Gurudev Naik Gaonkar, Sarvanand Komarpant, Siddharth Gayak, Sai Gayak, Moses and Jerry Fernandes.
