VASCO: The ground-level reservoirs, located near Sai Baba temple at New Vaddem in Dabolim constituency, have allegedly not been cleaned for the last several years with people consuming the water expressing that it could lead to an outbreak of diseases like jaundice, diarrhea, dengue and others due to consumption of such water.
People residing in the vicinity of Sai Baba temple, who use the water for daily consumption, claimed that the two ground-level reservoirs have not been cleaned by the authorities for the last five years as per the cleaning date mentioned on the reservoir.
“As the ground-level reservoirs have not been cleaned, there are chances of outbreak of jaundice, diarrhea, dengue and other illnesses due to consumption of water from these reservoirs,” said ward 23 councillor of Mormugao Municipal Council Shridhar alias Gaurish Mardolkar.
He said the people from the locality have brought the matter to his notice.
“The people are regularly consuming unhygienic water which is released through the overhead water tank after it is pumped from the two ground-level reservoirs,” Mardolkar stated, adding, it is a serious health hazard.
Some women claimed that there is a lot of silt settled at the bottom of the reservoirs and that the authorities have failed to ensure timely cleaning of the water storage facilities.
“The authorities should maintain the reservoirs by cleaning them regularly and so also the overhead tanks in view of the health of the people,” said Asha More, a resident of New Vaddem.
When contacted assistant engineer of PWD (water section) Vishwambhar Bhende, he stated that the PWD had cleaned the ground-level reservoirs some six months ago. “The PWD authorities are taking proper care of all the water tanks including ground-level reservoirs and overhead reservoirs by cleaning them from time to time,” added Bhende.
He disclosed that overhead reservoirs are cleaned in a mechanised manner while the ground-level reservoirs are cleaned manually. “The PWD authorities have proposed for mechanised cleaning of ground-level reservoirs at New Vaddem and Mangor-Hill in order to do away with manual cleaning which needs patience and also high water pressure,” said Bhende, adding, after getting a nod, the PWD authorities in Vasco will take up mechanised cleaning of the ground-level reservoirs.
He said the ground-level reservoirs at New Vaddem were cleaned some six months ago. He also informed that the PWD authorities will inspect the reservoirs in order to dispel doubts of the people over non-cleaning issue.