Goa capital braces for 48 hours without water

Panaji, Aug 17 (IANS) Residents of Goa's capital and other outlying areas are bracing for more than 48 hours of water scarcity after a landslide washed away two key pipelines which supply water from the Opa reservoir in Ponda sub district to North Goa, including Panaji.

The landslide occurred late on Friday due to a sustained spell of massive rainfall in the state over the last two weeks. The opposition has slammed the state government for not making adequate efforts to provide alternative arrangements to the residents of Panaji and nearby areas.

"Imagine, the state capital being without water for 48 hours. The government has not even promised credible alternative solutions. Even the water tanker supply, which the government had promised is not regular on the first day itself. The government needs to fix responsibility fo this massive lapse and take action," state Congress chief Girish Chodankar told IANS on Saturday.

"BJP governments have been promising 24x7 water supply for years now. And yet Panaji does not get even two hours of water. And now the collapse of pipelines has deprived them of any water at all," Chodankar said.

According to Public Works Development Minister Deepak Pauskar two six-metre pipes, which form the main arteries of water supply to North Goa, had faced a massive rupture, following the collapse of the retaining wall after the landslide last night.

"We promise to restart water supply to Panaji by Monday (August 19). We are working and repairing the two pipes on an urgent basis. Until then, we will ensure that tankers will provide water to the areas without water in Tiswadi and Ponda (sub district)," Pauskar said.