In yet another hare-brained scheme proposed by a minister, it was suggested to build dams across the state to export water to other states and countries. This will further threaten our water security rather than solve issues of water scarcity and water stress. There is instead an immediate need for intervention as regards river management, navigation channels, desilting, rejuvenation and conservation. The state already has five large dams and innumerable bandharas. The government has failed to properly manage all the water resources that nature has blessed us with.
For starters, forest cover should be increased manifold as this acts as a sponge during the rains and releases water during the lean periods. Secondly, all construction activities on fragile hill slopes should be ceased and mindless destruction of green cover in the name of so-called ‘progress’ should be effectively banned by bringing in suitable legislation. As a next step, mining activities and laterite quarrying around dams should be curtailed because the toxic muck generated leaches into the water table or is furtively dumped into the reservoirs by leaseholders. This leads to siltation and reduction in holding capacity, impacting water distribution downstream. Building more dams is certainly not the answer to Goa’s water woes. Our tiny state is blessed with 11 perennial rivers and various rain-fed springs. All that is needed is application of mind to derive benefit from this bounty.
