MAPUSA
With Goa ending the monsoon with a 32% rainfall deficit, the proposed three-month shutdown of the Tillari canal has run into a fresh hurdle, with the State government yet to approve the closure even as the Water Resources Department (WRD) weighs the risk of disrupting a key source of raw water to North Goa.
The shutdown, originally planned from October 1 to December 31, is required to facilitate major repair and maintenance works on the Tillari canal system. However, the proposed closure has not commenced as the government approval is still awaited.
A senior WRD official said the department could not unilaterally decide to stop the flow, particularly against the backdrop of the deficient monsoon and concerns over water availability in the coming months.
“We cannot just take a decision at the spur of the moment to shut the Tillari canal. We have to see our needs and requirements. There is a water shortage concern due to deficient rainfall. So, there is some element of risk in taking the decision one way or the other,” the official said.
The official said the proposal was pending with the government on account of certain compliances, making the timing of the shutdown uncertain.
Key raw water source for North
The Tillari system assumes added importance as water from the Tillari dam in Maharashtra enters Goa through the canal system and is now used not only for irrigation but also to supplement drinking-water requirements.
The canal supplies raw water to treatment facilities including those at Assonora, Guirim and Pilerne. The State's Economic Survey has also noted works for ensuring uninterrupted raw-water supply of up to 250 MLD to these drinking-water treatment plants through the Tillari Left Bank Main Canal.
The proposed shutdown was to coincide with arrangements being made to augment alternative raw-water supply. A new Amthane pumping station was planned to pump an additional 150 MLD of raw water to the Assonora treatment plant, catering to areas including Porvorim and Pilerne. The government had indicated that Tillari supply could then be stopped for three months to enable canal repairs.
However, with the monsoon ending 32% below normal, the decision has acquired greater significance. The State has already begun taking measures to conserve water in its reservoirs, including shifting part of the supply burden from the Selaulim reservoir to the Kushavati river.
Repairs cannot wait indefinitely
The WRD official said the canal repairs themselves could not be ignored and would have to be undertaken sooner or later.
“The repair and maintenance work on the canal has to be carried out today or tomorrow,” the official said.
“It is a policy decision of the government whether to give approval or not. But in any case, it has to be done. The work can also be carried out in March if not now,” the official added. The Tillari canal system has been facing deterioration and periodic breaches, with the proposed works intended to address the ageing canal infrastructure.
