the goan I network
MAPUSA
Blaming the rudderless BJP-led coalition’s boat for the water crisis in Bardez, Congress spokesman, Amarnath Panjikar on Monday urged PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar to set aside his dreams of becoming chief minister and focus on delivering basic needs to Goans.
“Today is the fifth day that people of Bardez had to either go without water or received water supply for a short duration. PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar should keep his dream of being the chief minister on hold and apply his mind to finding a solution to the water problem in Bardez,” Panjikar said.
For the first time ever, the entire Bardez taluka and parts of Bicholim have been reeling under severe water shortage from September 12, the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Some parts of the taluka did not receive water and even those who got the supply received it for very short time and at a low pressure.
“Shame on this government. The BJP leaders who like to sermonize on Bharatiya sanskruti cannot provide water supply to people who have gathered to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in their homes,” Panjikar hit out.
“We can understand if there is no supply for a day. But today it’s the fifth day and the issue is still not resolved,” he added.
He said the PWD engineers should double up and locate the fault and restore the supply on top priority.
“Some engineers say that two pumps have burnt while some others attribute the problem to tripping of the 11 KV power line. We do not know what the actual problem is, but what we need is quick resolution of the
water problem on priority,” the Congress spokesman added.
Dhavlikar assures 6 hours supply in Bardez, normalcy by weekend
the goan I network
MAPUSA
Facing growing public backlash over the water crisis in Bardez, PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar on Monday said that urgent steps have been taken to provide water supply at least for six hours to every constituency in Bardez until the end of this week when things are expected to normalize.
He also assured that by Monday evening, a pump would be fixed at the Assonora treatment plant which, however, will give only 15 mld extra water.
“I have sent an engineer to Ahmedabad to oversee the repair of one of the two pumps sent there. By tomorrow (Tuesday) they are expected to complete the repair of the pump and start their onward journey to Goa. The pump is expected to arrive on Wednesday or latest by Thursday morning,” Dhavlikar said.
In the interim, he said, the department has taken steps to control every valve so that every constituency gets water for six hours.
“For example, once Porvorim gets its six hours water, it will get supply again after another 18 hours. So people will have to store and keep water,” he said.
The PWD minister further said that normalcy of water supply was expected to be restored by the end of this week.
It may be recalled that distribution of pipeline water supply to entire Bardez and parts of Bicholim taluka was affected after operation at one of the three treatment plants at Assonora came to a halt on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, as two pumps at the plant got burnt due to an electrical snag.
To add to the misery, a 700 mm pipeline bringing water from Assonora treatment plant burst at Duler, Mapusa on September 12, but PWD officials were prompt in replacing the damaged pipe with a new one within 12 hours.
But with no pumps at the disposal of the PWD, the 50 mld plant in Assonora could not be operated resulting to almost 30 mld less water in circulation.
