PWD fails to repair ruptured water pipelines in Mapusa
MAPUSA
Several litres of water were seen going waste due to pipeline rupture at various places in Mapusa even as the PWD officials choose to look the other way.
Despite the fact that some of the areas still face water shortage, the unplugged leaks result in wastage of thousands of litres of potable water.
The pipelines have ruptured more than two weeks back, even before the Chaturthi festival, and in some cases more than a month has passed even as the authorities have failed to initiate any action to mend the same.
The most prominent leakage has been at a spot in the middle of the road behind the Mapusa Police Station where large amount of water has been going down the drain.
Similar pipeline ruptures has been reported on road opposite the Holy Cross School and near Chandranath Garage in Khorlim, near St Britto’s High School at Altinho, near the Janata High School in Angod, near Paulo’s garage in Peddem and at police quarters, Mapusa.
Several people have formally lodged their complaints in the complaint book at the Mapusa PWD office but authorities have failed to plug the leakages.
Besides wastage of water, leaks could lead to water contamination and consumers could fall prey to water-borne diseases.
“Mosquitoes don’t breed in flowing water. So if there’s pipeline rupture and the water is flowing there’s no question of contracting water-borne disease,” said Dr Anant Palekar, Health Officer, Mapusa Urban Health Centre.
“However, if the water pipelines are laid in the drains, there are chances a ruptured pipeline in the drain could lead to water contamination,” Palekar added.
A source in the Mapusa PWD informed that the department had no system to find out about leakages or ruptured pipelines within its jurisdiction.
“We can attend to leakages only if someone calls and informs us or if a public spirited citizen lodges a complaint in the Mapusa Office,” he said.
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Councillor raps PWD officials
for failing in their duty
THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA: Questioning the lazy and lackadaisical attitude of the officials at the Mapusa PWD (water), Mapusa Municipal Councillor, Tushar Tople blamed the PWD engineers for failing to respond to complaints promptly.
“I have noticed the PWD engineers do not take complaints of the consumers seriously. I had complained about the pipeline rupture behind the Mapsua Police Station before the Ganesh Chaturthi but till today it has not been repaired,” Tople said.
Hitting out at the Mapusa PWD (water), Assistant Engineer, Tople said the AE always found excuses to blame the Simplex Company, which is engaged in laying underground sewerage line, for pipeline ruptures but failed to repair the pipelines.
He said there were several instances of pipeline ruptures in and around Mapusa which the PWD should mend and stop criminal waste of drinking water.
When contacted, Mapusa PWD (water), Assistant Engineer, Vilas Tamboskar said his office has attended to some of the complaints and the remaining would also be attended to.
“We have checked the pipeline behind the Mapusa Police Station. The rupture is to the main water pipeline. We have informed our Porvorim counterparts who will attend to it,” Tamboskar informed.
