From: "Tim de Mello" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [Goanet] Governments need to deliver water as a human right
> The Goa government needs to brings all of its resources to bear on > conserving water that it receives. This must be treated with a certain > amount of urgency. Goa must not be allowed to drift from year to year > struggling with its water problem - and blaming the hotel industry for its > ails. There's no gainsaying the fact that Tim and several Goanetters who have written on the subject, or related ones like water harvesting, desalination, etc are absolutely right. Water harvesting, however, may not be the answer to substantial parts of the populace that lives in towns and in the Bardez/Salcete beach belts -- percolation of seepages from undersized, badly constructed (or overflowing) septic tanks and soak pits, has polluted wells and their groundwater sources. I am not a technical person, but wonder whether recharging wells by means of rainwater harvesting will render the water safe and potable? As regards the State Government's efforts, may I share what I learnt from a highly-placed engineer in the WRD (Water Resources Deptt., renamed from the earlier Irrigation Deptt., which in turn was bifurcated from the Public Works Deptt. some 20 years ago) : about an year ago, after the present ministry was sworn into office, Parrikar, the CM, visited the WRD HQ in Panaji, in the company of the concerned Minister, Filipe Neri Rodrigues. After some discussion (my source was personally present), the Chief Minister asked to be shown the State Map of water bodies. A map showing all the water bodies in Goa?? The WRD top brass were not aware if one even existed! Engineers lower down the rung embarrassingly whispered to their seniors that no such cartographic document existed. A furious Parrikar, I was told, there and then directed that a comprehensive Map be prepared. I wonder if such a Map is now ready, and if the first steps of planning for the long-term, on the basis of such a basic input, can start during 2003... Rgds/Valmiki ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
