Panaji, April 20: Congress members on Thursday gheraoed PWD officials in Panaji for failing to provide potable water to people across the state.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar, along with other leaders also submitted a memorandum in this regard. They gheraoed Chief Engineer Santosh Mhapne, who assured to resolve the issue.
Congress Media Department Chairman Amarnath Panjikar, Tulio Dsouza, Veriato Fernandes, Beena Naik, Virendra Shirodkar, Savio Dsilva, Everson Valles, Rajendra Korgaonkar, Adv. Shrinivas Khalap, Ramkrishna Jalmi, Vivek Dsilva, Adv. Jitendra Gaonkar, Pranav Parab, Palacia Raposo, Parvati Nagvekar, Saee Volvoikar and others were present.
These Congress office bearers from various constituencies of Goa grilled Chief Engineer for giving unwanted answers over shortage of water.
Patkar while lambasting the BJP government said that it has failed all the time and can’t handle any situations worsening people.
“During COVID time the BJP government killed people by failing to provide oxygen. Today the situation is such that people are suffering due to scarcity of water, but the government is doing nothing to resolve this issue,” he said.
He said that there is shortage of water across Goa.
“Officers are saying that there is a shortfall of 80 MLD water. Tillari dam was constructed for irrigation purposes, but today that water is supplied to Mopa airport. There is no planning for the supply of water, even there is no check on water meters. Government is looting poor people,” Patkar said.
Amarnath Panjikar said that scarcity of water faced in many villages and cities of Goa have exposed the inefficiency and dearth of will power in the BJP government.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in August last year, had congratulated the Goa government for becoming the first state to become ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified. This means that every house of Goa was connected with piped water. But what is the use of such a connection which is defunct,” Panjikar questioned.
He said that the government should not give excuses for their failures, instead work to build the infrastructure.
“We have raised the issue because people are suffering, but this government is not paying heed. Forget about providing water for 24 hours, but at least minimum to 4 to 5 hour’s people should get water,” Panjikar said.
