the goan I network
QUEPEM
It has been a blue Christmas and a dark New Year for people living at Tank-Quepem, who have had to struggle without water since the last few days.
A group of aggrieved residents from Tank-Quepem visited the PWD water department at Quepem on Tuesday morning and interacted with PWD Assistant Engineer Mr Karmalkar to highlight their plight over acute water shortage.
"Everyone just celebrated the New Year with much fanfare, but people living at Tank-Quepem have been suffering without water for 10 days," complained a woman, one Mansura.
During their interaction, the residents told Karmalkar of the many hardships confronting the aged, sick, pregnant women and infants in the area and warned that they would sit in the PWD office till water is released to them.
The residents then complained that a person, entrusted to release water to the village, had been using derogatory language to the women, when they questioned him about the water shortage.
The residents also complained that the two pump operators stationed at the pump had also behaved rudely with them.
After listening to their grievances, Karmalkar informed the residents that he was aware of their situation, but clarified that the water problem has been an issue since the last five days and not 10 days, as claimed by them.
Karmalkar, however, assured to send a water tanker to them for the day and added that from Wednesday, he would regulate water supply at Ambaulim and supply water to them regularly.
He apologised for the rude behaviour by the person entrusted to release water and said he was not an employee of the department, but a person employed by the contractor.
He also assured residents that the JICA water pipeline is ready and the water line would soon be connected to the water storage tank, which would resolve their water problems.
RESIDENTS' COMPLAINT
A group of aggrieved residents from Tank-Quepem visit the PWD water department at Quepem and interacted with PWD Assistant Engineer Mr Karmalkar to highlight their plight over acute water shortage
The residents informed Karmalkar of the many hardships confronting the aged, sick, pregnant women and infants in the area and warned that they would sit in the PWD office till water is released to them
