MAPUSA
Residents of Mapusa and Siolim woke up to dry taps over the weekend, despite assurances from Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Shubash Shirodkar just two days prior that there was sufficient water in various dams to meet drinking water needs for the next two months.
In Mapusa, residents found no water flowing on Saturday and Sunday morning, with some areas experiencing continued water scarcity into Sunday.
"We have not been receiving water since Saturday. There was no information about any shutdown. This is very frustrating," said Reshma Naik, a resident of Shetya-vaddo, Mapusa.
Similarly, residents of Siolim, particularly those from Bamonvaddo, have been receiving water at a trickle for the past two weeks.
Despite complaints to Public Works Department (PWD) officials, no tangible solutions have been provided.
"We have been ordering water through tankers for the last two weeks. The PWD officials do not care about our travails even though we have complained to them," lamented Gregory D'Souza, a resident of Siolim.
A senior engineer in Mapusa attributed the shortage to a shutdown at the Assonora water treatment plant.
However, questions remain as to why the public was not informed about the shutdown in advance, leaving residents frustrated and without adequate access to water.
