Rs 5,000-7,000 crore JICA 24x7 water supply project (Herald)

24x7 water supply to Salcete by X’Mas: CM July 16, 2013 Launches construction of sewerage network in Margao TEAM HERALD MARGAO: Maintaining that the government has embarked on a plan to augment water supply and lay sewerage network at a whopping cost of Rs 5,000-7,000 crore, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said that Salcete will receive 24x7 water supply by Christmas next year as part of the ambitious water supply augmentation scheme under JICA. Parrikar has also urged the Public Works Department to prepare an action plan for Goa as a whole on augmentation of water supply as well as the sewerage network. He also called for time-bound completion of the projects to avoid cost overrun. Addressing a function at the Gomant Vidya Niketan here after launching construction of sewerage works in Margao on Monday noon, the Chief Minister said the government is committed to provide 24x7 drinking water supply to South Goa by 2014. “If not entire South Goa, the government is hopeful to provide continuous water supply to Salcete by Christmas,” he added. The Chief Minister said that work on the construction of a number of water reservoirs to store 13 million litres a day is in progress in South Goa under the JICA project. “The Selaulim water supply is being augmented by another 100 MLD. Besides, 30 MLD of water is supplied to Verna. Another 30 MLD plant is coming up at Sanguem,” Parrikar said. The Chief Minister said that the underground sewerage line and the 20 MLD new STP under JICA would help contain contamination of river Sal. In his address, PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar promised that not a single house in South Goa will go without water by 2014. “We will be able to provide 100 litres of water per day person in rural areas and 125 litres per person in urban areas. Water provided by the PWD in Goa is the cheapest. It costs only Rs 2.20 for per cubic meter of water in Goa. That means, people get four litres of water for one paisa,” he said. Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado exuded confidence that the sewage works in Margao would help stop pollution of fields in Navelim and the river Sal. He told the Chief Minister that not a single overhead water reservoir is planned in Navelim constituency, making Parrikar wonder in a lighter vein whether the former PWD Minister made the tanks to disappear. Margao MLA Digambar Kamat urged the government to build the sewerage project in Margao by maintaining quality. Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai and JICA Project Director A Wachasunder also spoke. http://www.heraldgoa.in/News/Local%20News/24x7-water-supply-to-Salcete-by-X-rsquo-Mas-CM/76971.html