Despite perennial sources, decade of alternate day supply for Canacona

POINGUINIM: For residents of the state’s southernmost taluka of Canacona, receiving water for a couple of hours every alternate day has become such a ‘normal’ part of life for the last 10 to 12 years that they have simply learnt to adjust and limit their water needs. And while it is surprising that a taluka which has no shortage of natural water resources should face shortage, locals say it is the inefficient and outdated means of tapping these that is to blame.

In Canacona’s touristic village of Agonda, poor water supply no doubt poses a problem for its 6,000-strong population, but it poses an even bigger one for those involved in tourism-related activities here.

The Deva Tallem at Parvem in Agonda, which lies neglected, can be a source of water for the village if the authorities plan to develop it.

Sharing the woes of the locals, a senior citizen Joao Fernandes said the problem lies with the inefficient tapping of Mudkud river and a pump that is unable to generate the required pressure.

“Seventeen years ago, during the tenure of late MLA Sanjay Bandekar, PWD had constructed an overhead water storage tank on way to Betul, to meet Agonda’s water demand. The tank was built high enough to be able to supply water to the entire village, but has since been nothing more than a showpiece as the water pressure is not sufficient to fill the tank,” Joao said.

Later, PWD constructed another smaller water tank beneath this tank to supply water to Betul and parts of Parvem. The authorities also installed a pressure filter around five years ago, but the water shortage problem continues with people receiving supply only on alternate days.

“One has to always keep an eye on when water is being released,” Joao said, adding that people have to stock up on enough water to last them two days.

Need right tech to meet Agonda’s water needs: Locals

Agonda sarpanch Pramod Phaldesai told TOI that though two tanks were constructed in the village, Mudkud river could not be tapped efficiently to fill them as the pipelines leading from the river are old and not able to maintain requisite pressure. Phaldesai said the existing bandhara, constructed long ago on the river, has developed cracks and leaks. It is another reason for the insufficient supply into the Betul tank, he said.

“As Agonda is spread over a large area, the water pumped in the two tanks is not sufficient to meet the daily needs of the locals, which is why supply is done on alternate days,” the sarpanch said.

Phaldesai said that a proposal to build a ‘kuchcha’ bandhara to collect the water leaking out of the main bandhara on the Mudkud river has been sent to the government. Stating that some improvement work on the pipeline was in progress and a three-phase electricity line was being installed, Phaldesai said this would help alleviate the water problem to an extent.

For locals of Agonda’s Miranda Vaddo, Chakttem and Karaxermol A and Karaxermol B, who receive water from the Chapoli dam, the shortage situation is no different.

“To meet the needs of the people from these areas, the authorities built a 400cum-capacity tank at Burmar, which receives water from the Chapoli dam. However, supply remains poor because of poor pressure in the pipelines,” local Thomas Fernandes said, ruing that they have to suffer despite the Mudkud river being a perennial source.

“If tapped systematically by using the right technology, the river’s water is sufficient to meet daily needs of the whole of Agonda,” Thomas said.

Phaldesai, who said that the supply from Chapoli dam was not sufficient to meet the needs of the people of Agonda, agreed that if they had to receive water everyday then the right technical strategies would have to be implemented to ensure that water could be drawn from the Mudkud river at the right pressure so as to fill both the water tanks.

For those living in Gaondongorim, Cotigao, parts of Poinguinim, Patnem and Colomb the water supply is comparatively better, but here too the summer months pose a problem.

The Canacona assistant and junior engineers did not respond to calls made by this reporter.

The Agonda sarpanch said Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes has taken keen interest in the water issue and has held meetings with the executive engineer and superintendent engineer some time ago and instructed them to look into the matter on priority. “He has asked them to prepare an estimate for infrastructure improvement.”

Phaldesai told TOI that a minor irrigation tank of 5 MLD has been proposed at Mudkud and the process of getting the NOC on the Khola side is in process. “The department is doing things, but the pace is slow,” he said.

Canacona MLA told TOI that they are taking steps to solve the water shortage issue. “However, there are bound to be some obstructions like getting NOCs from some owners, which will all be gradually tackled,” Isidore said. All files and estimates for improvement proposals are complete and will be soon submitted for government approval, he said.