Keri: Villagers from Keri in Sattari have been complaining about irregular and polluted drinking water supply.
Sarpanch Laxman Gawas had received a report from the health department about the presence of coliform bacteria in the drinking water supplied to villagers, and had promptly written to the public work department (PWD), Valpoi to take immediate corrective measures. Assistant engineer Eknath Paste and junior engineer Ganesh Gaonkar had then visited the water treatment plant at Keri and collected water samples for testing.
When TOI contacted Paste, he said, “As soon as we received the complaint about contaminated water supply, we collected samples, but did not detect the coliform bacteria in it. On Monday, we took fresh samples of water and have sent it for chemical analysis. We are expecting the report in three days.”
Gawas said, “Villagers are complaining about irregular, and contaminated water supply. We are worried, as cases of patients suffering from dysentery, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting have been referred to Keri and Sankhali health dispensary and centre. The government should look into the matter seriously and solve the problem.”
Executive engineer, Romil Barreto from Bicholim said, “We are monitoring the situation. Our staff has been involved in taking necessary steps to provide regular supply of clean water.”
In Keri, the two million litres per day (MLD) water treatment plant has been operational since the last four years, but so far the PWD has failed to provide jack well (a water intake structure) or make available necessary mechanism or trained staff.
“Employees are known to be irregular in attending to their duties, are not punctual. Also, the lack of regular electricity supply hampers the functioning of the plant,” an employee said on condition of anonymity.
Villagers also say that raw water (unprocessed water), used at the Keri water treatment plant is contaminated due to presence of human faeces, and water is pumped from stagnant water sources. Due to the lack of public toilets, villagers, mainly from the Anjunem dam site, visitors to the dam as well as security personnel manning it are using the river bed for open defecation.
