President of Goa State of Industries Association (GSIA) and former president of Verna Industries Association (VIA) Damodar Kochkar on Monday said industrial units in Verna were upset over recent notices by WRD to recover differential charges of raw water supplied to industries.
“The issue of raw water supply has been plaguing units since the start of the Verna Industrial Estate (VIE),” Kochkar told reporters.
"Total requirement of water for entire VIE is around 10 MLD per day but we receive a maximum of around 1.5 MLD of treated water from PWD. To source the balance quantity of water, VIE stakeholders had drilled bore well or depending on water supply by tankers from neighbouring villages," said Kochkar.
"In 2012, while late Manohar Parrikar was then CM, tanker water suppliers suddenly went on strike and stopped water supply. While the industry was affected by the strike, Parrikar had informed us that extra water at Selaulim would reach till Davorlim through open canals and he offered to lay pipelines and get this water to VIE and Zuari industries.”
“As per his promise, he laid pipelines and by 2014, we had this raw water delivered to us. The next issue was the distribution of this water to all industries in VIE by laying internal pipelines in 2017. Parrikar then assured us to supply this water at Rs 10 per cubic metre, which we agreed," said Kochkar.
"The cost to pump this raw water is around Rs 4 to WRD and it was decided that Rs 5 be given to WRD for pumping and Rs 5 be given to IDC to maintain the pipeline and a rate of Rs 10 per cubic metre was fixed for this water supply. We were supplied water at this rate for a few months."
Kochkar added that a few months later, WRD suddenly began charging Rs 20 per cubic meter to IDC, which added a further Rs 5 and raw water was being charged to industries at Rs 25 per cubic metre.
"We objected because raw water had to be treated again and was not feasible for Rs 25 and took up the issue with Parrikar, who maintained that water would continue to be supplied at Rs 10, while the additional charges of Rs 15 in the bill would be adjusted.
“Later, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also assured that raw water would be supplied at the same rate at Rs 10,” said Koshkar.
“The WRD then put up a calculation to the government which came to around Rs 9 per cubic metre and we agreed to offer Rs 10 to WRD and Rs 5 to IDC.
“After three years, the WRD had recently sent individual notices to all industries through the IDC that if the balance amount of Rs 15 per cubic meter of water till date was not paid in ten days, they would initiate steps for recovery of arrears or discontinue the supply of raw water to industries.
“While water is not being supplied properly, they are sending such notices and how can industries survive? The government should come out clear if they are unable to fulfil their assurances, instead of sending us such threats,” said Kochkar.
