For the last three months people in Canacona have beendrinking untreated water and could seriously run a health risk.
The untreated water comes courtesy PWD’s plant at Shristall,which does not have the service of a lab technician and a chemist.
5 million liters of untreated water is being consumed byaround 35,000 people every day in Canacona.
The only chemist cum lab technician, Shanta Warik at the 5MLD water treatment plant at Shristall retired from this service in July thisyear.
Consequently raw water from Chapolim Dam is directly passingthrough the water treatment plant without being treated and being supplied todifferent parts of the taluka.
The same water is supplied to local and starred hotels andvarious other establishments.
“The Shristall treatment plant does not have the service ofa chemist for the last three months. We are yet to recruit a new chemist” saidSunil Kalekar, Executive Engineer of Water Supply Department, Margao.
He further said that a temporary arrangement has been madeamongst the existing staff but acknowledged that it was not sufficient, as noneof them were experts to check raw water.
Assistant Engineer of PWD Water division, Canacona, A GVelingkar said that a proposal for new recruitment for chemist’s post wasforwarded much before the retirement of former chemist to the concernedauthorities.
So far nothing has materialized, he said.
He further said that local MLA and Sports Minister, RameshTawadkar was also updated about the matter.
“Chapolim dam at Canacona is the main source of water fordomestic and agricultural needs of most of the people for the last twentyyears. But this water is neither safe for consumption nor sufficient for thegrowing population,” said Mahesh Raikar, Sarpanch of Shristall VillagePanchayat.
Vector-borne diseases are on the rise in Canacona since thelast many years and this is attributed to the polluted and untreated water thatis being supplied by the PWD. People have also been suffering from many waterborne diseases and the taluka tops in the high incidence of chronic renalfailures.
According to former Sarpanch of Shristhal village panchayat,Suhas Velip, people living in the area cremate or bury their dead in thevicinity of the dam.
“The public health department needs to look into the matterand suggest remedies,” said Ajay Bhagat, Chairperson of Canacona Municipality.
