BY SUDESH BHOSLE | NT
VASCO: Four constituencies in Mormugao taluka namely, Mormugao, Vasco, Dabolim and Cortalim are faced with acute water shortage. The residents face water crisis only during the summer months from March to May, but otherwise there is adequate supply of water in the taluka.
The water shortage in the taluka is mainly due to power shutdown or due to high levels of manganese content in raw water which affects the filtration process of the Selaulim water treatment plant.
In April 2016 the water department announced a two-day shutdown which affected water supply to entire South Goa district including Mormugao taluka.
There are some localities in Mormugao taluka where the water shortage is severe. They include Headland-Sada, Bogda, Jetty, Mangor-Hill, New-Vaddem, MES College, Birla and Bogmalo. It is observed that the areas of Bharat Nagar at MES College, New-Vaddem, Headland-Sada and the tail-end of Bogmalo are having an old network of underground pipelines which are corroded, due to which residents get less water.
As per information from sources in the PWD, Mormugao taluka needs an average of 68 MLD of water supply per day to cater to the needs of 23,000 odd residents. In summer, the water supply to Mormugao taluka falls to around 10 MLD from around 64 to 65 MLD of water.
As the supply of water is reduced to 10 MLD, water shortage prevails in various other localities. It is learnt that the PWD also supplies water to Nagoa, Loutolim and Agassaim areas. Nearly 5 to 7 MLD of water is being supplied to Nagoa, Loutolim and Agassaim areas by the PWD.
People residing in hilly areas are more likely to be affected during the summer months. Most often people are forced to consume water from wells which are not cleaned for the past two years. The Mormugao Municipal Council used to clean wells earlier which numbered nearly 200, but due to shortage of funds, the annual cleaning work has stopped.
There are bulk consumers like the Indian Navy, Mormugao Port Trust, Goa Shipyard Ltd, Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd, Airport Authority of India (Dabolim airport), Birla Institute of Science and Technology, Industrial Development Corporation where the PWD supplies water to them. Due to distribution of water to bulk consumers, the water supply to domestic consumers has reduced.
The former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had resolved half of the problems of Mormugao taluka by making arrangements of raw water supply to industries. A dedicated line has been commissioned from Verna which is being used by industries.
If Mormugao taluka gets additional 10 MLD of water then the long pending demand of having an adequate supply of water will be fulfilled in the taluka.
People are now eyeing the commissioning of the JICA project pipeline which will supply additional 100 MLD of water to entire South Goa district, resolving the water woes.
People residing in slum dwelling areas of Lamani Chawl, Birla, Zuarinagar and Zorint make use water from a dam which belongs to the Zuari Agro Chemical Ltd at Sancoale.
The PWD authorities however make use of tankers which are available with them during the water shortage. At present the PWD has only two tankers which is being utilised to cater to the needs of the residents.
