the goan I network
PANAJI
President of Verna Industrial Estate Association, Damodar Kochkar, said, “Verna Industrial Estate requires 10 million litres of water per day (mld). Of this, 5 mld water comes from wells in neighbouring areas. But, water in these wells dries up in summer.”
The water problems get compounded, as Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) has failed to build adequate infrastructure in the form of water-tank and pump-house despite several assurances.
The problem of GIDC not finishing work on improving infrastructure for water supply to Verna Industrial Estate is going far too long. In 2013, in his previous stint as state’s chief minister, Manohar Parrikar, had assured the industries in Verna Industrial Estate that a dedicated pipeline for raw water supply would be built for them.
Subsequently, a pipeline for raw water was laid from Nasai to Verna Industrial Estate, but the GIDC has so far failed to complete the work on creating infrastructure so that the water can reach factories in the estate uninterrupted.
Kochkar said, “GIDC has still not finished work on water-tank. Similarly, pump-house is not ready either. Only the work of placing pipeline (which takes water from sump to water tank) and distribution pipeline (which connects water tank to factories) has been completed.”
Sources however find fault in the GIDC for not awarding the whole contract to one contractor. The entire work of supplying water from sump to factories was divided in six different parts, which resulted in the delay.
Meanwhile, the state government had earlier allowed industries to dig borewells for water. However, despite the industries setting up infrastructure themselves they are made to pay to the government for using the water.
Borewells, too are not a long term solution, as there to water too dries up in peak summer. The solution for the problem lies in how fast the GIDC will finish work on the infrastructure for supplying uninterrupted water. Industries in Verna Industrial Estate are anxious as the corporation has already taken too much time in completing their long pending demand.
