PANAJI
Water Resources Minister, Subhash Shirodkar, on Wednesday said the people of Goa must reconcile to the need for checking the run-off flow of rainwater into the sea and accept certain dam projects being planned by the government.
“All the bountiful rain Goa has been getting is flowing down into the Mandovi river,” Shirodkar said, adding that people should change their thought processes and stop raising objections to mini-dams and bhandara projects.
Shirodkar, who was replying to the discussion on the demands for grants pertaining to WRD, Cooperation, Proveidoria, and other departments under his charge, lamented that people in Sanguem and Sanvordem, besides a couple of other areas, were objecting to dam projects.
The minister pointed out that currently, a massive 40,000 hectares of land is being irrigated in the State in almost all the talukas. He added that at the time of Goa’s liberation, only 400 hectares were irrigated in just two locations ” at Khandepar and in Quepem.
He said both the main canals of the Tillari project ” left bank and right bank ” have been repaired with a fresh concrete lining after 30 years of wear and tear had damaged them.
“We will now be in a position to supply raw water from Tillari to Pilerne and Calangute as well,” Shirodkar said.
‘Goa on strong footing on Mhadei’
Shirodkar on Wednesday said Goa is on a strong footing vis-a-vis the Mhadei dispute with Karnataka, and the setting up of PRAWAH and its functionality is a positive step for the State.
“As much as Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao or Vijai Sardesai are concerned about Mhadei, so am I. We are on a solid footing,” Shirodkar said, adding that even in the matter of the challenge to the Tribunal’s award in the Supreme Court of India, the State has a battery of 20 lawyers handling the case.
Shirodkar also agreed to convene a meeting of the House Committee on Mhadei, which he heads, in August so it can be updated on all developments on the dispute, including proceedings of PRAWAH meetings.
‘Will reduce 50 borewells each year’
Responding to the alarm raised by Opposition members over large-scale tapping of groundwater in the State by drilling borewells, Shirodkar said he is aware of the problem and pledged to seal and reduce borewells by up to 50 per year.
Shirodkar later also piloted a bill, which was passed by the House, that imposes a fine of Rs 5 lakhs for illegal borewells and also for the transportation of groundwater.
‘Goa Dairy in profit for last six months’
Shirodkar said Goa Dairy has been making profits of up to Rs 3-4 lakhs a month for the last six months after paying the staff’s salaries.
The minister said the past scams, including the payment of Rs 12 crore by an ex-MD, are still being probed.
As for the allegations that financial cooperative bodies were in a mess, Shirodkar said it was not true and only a handful of entities had collapsed due to fraud.
“Action has been taken against 21 people who have now been rendered ineligible for contesting elections to the credit cooperative societies for life as per the new law,” Shirodkar said, adding that thousands of cooperative units were active in various fields in Goa, actually providing assistance to the common man.
Shirodkar also refuted the allegations that financial cooperatives were not diligently carrying out audits. He said of 475 credit cooperative societies in the State, 435 have been punctual in auditing their accounts and submitting them to the department.
