the goan I network
MAPUSA
The PWD (water supply) has decided to build additional reservoirs, disconnect booster pumps set up by consumers and disconnect illegal water connections to resolve problems of shortage of water in Mapusa.
“There are more than 200 illegal water connections in Mapusa. Those who want to legalize the connections they can do so by the end of this month. From the New Year, we will disconnect all illegal connections. Once disconnected, we will not issue a connection again,” said Nitin Neurekar, Executive Engineer PWD.
He also disclosed that an individual took a water connection, but fed 25 tenants with that one connection.
The executive engineer was addressing the councillors at the special council meeting called to discuss the critical water scarcity issue dogging the city.
Neurekar, who is also the OSD to the PWD Minister, admitted that the earlier assurance of bringing a dedicated pipeline from Assonora treatment plant to Mapusa city was not feasible.
Disclosing that 25 per cent of water was getting wasted due to leakages, he, however, said the recent shortage of water in Mapusa and parts of Bardez was due to non-availability of raw water at Assonora treatment plant.
He said the treatment plant was mainly drawing raw water from Tillari or Assonora river of Amthane dam.
He further disclosed that water from Tillari has not been released yet and was not sure how long it will take.
In order to alleviate water problems in the city, the Executive Engineer assured to build additional reservoirs at four different sites to alleviate water problems experienced by the residents in the city.
The identified places were next to present the Dattawadi reservoir, Assagao, near the sports complex in Peddem and near the St Xavier’s College, which is government land.
He also urged the councillors to regularise the illegal water connection by the end of the month as the department would disconnect such connections from the beginning of the New Year.
He further promised to disconnect all the booster pumps fixed by consumers while requesting the councillors to give in writing the problem areas in the city.
Earlier, while initiating discussion on the water issue, senior councillor Sandeep Falari said Mapusa had major water problem in August-September during the Ganesh Chaturthi and continued to have problems even now.
“There may be problems at various levels but local residents have suffered a lot even during festivals. Purpose to call the meeting is not to engage in blame game but to find a way out,” Falari said.
He said there was an allegation that the engineers played around with the distribution network and diverted water to other areas.
Falari also stated that Mapusa did not have a dedicated water tanker while neighbouring Siolim constituency had two and urged the department to look into the matter.
Councillors Tushar Tople, Rajsingh Rane and Swapnil Shirodkar also spoke at the meeting.
