---------------------------------------------------------- Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help others be BETTER INFORMED, The time is come for the people of Goa to ORGANISE not AGONISE !! ---------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- GOA PWD WATER SUPPLY CONSUMERS PROTEST DHARNA Wednesday 22nd March 2006 on the occasion of WORLD WATER DAY at Margao. --------------------------------------------------------------- Over the last 3 decades people have developed a dependence on the Public Works Dept. (PWD) for their supply of portable water. Consumers have not really experienced a customer friendly approach from the PWD although it is one of Goa's major service providers. ------------------------------------------------------------------ SOME OF THE PROBLEMS FACED BY CONSUMERS ------------------------------------------------------------------ * A large number of meters are declared as "not working" or "damaged". These meters are not being repaired but replaced by the PWD without providing the consumers with a calibration report, guarantee card & instruction manual of the new meters. * Many water meters are now functioning as 'Air meters' as they move due to the momentum of the air gushing through the pipes. * Consumers are being billed with 'minimum charges' + 'meter rent' although they have not received a drop of water. * The map of the network of water pipes in the village is not available in the Panchayat / Municipality resulting in consumers getting sewage water in their PWD pipelines in some case. * There is no transparency with regards to the duties and responsibilities of the PWD officials like those reporting to the Junior Engineer such as the Supervisor, Helper & Valve Operator. * There are no fixed timings wherein the Junior & Assistant Engineer is available to meet up with Consumers to tackle complaints. * Boosters are used by some commercial interests to meet their large water requirements, and the concerned PWD officials have failed to curb the same. * Public taps are being misused and in some cases privatized. No monitoring of the same is being done by the PWD officials neither is the same reviewed at the Village Gram Sabha. * Free Water connections are continuously being released by the PWD although it cannot guarantee water supply to its existing paying commercial & domestic consumers. *Local Panchayats are not being consulted in laying of pipelines passing through the village resulting in waste of tax payer's money. * Senior PWD officials don't organize customer meetings to get feedback from the consumers on their services. * Acceptance of Cash payments of bills by cosumers has been abruptly stopped due to misappropriation of money at these PWD cash counters. * Disconnection of all Public Taps in Village Panchayats & Municipalities being undertaken without conducting a Water Audit which is necessary when dealing with such public utilities. * No action against the PWD contractors and officials who are responsible for constant bursts / breakdowns in the Selaulim Pipeline. *PWD proposes to take a loan of Rs.1,376 crore at 1% interest from the Japan Bank to augment the water supply system based on the Master plan on Water & Sanitation Reforms prepared by the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) which will be a huge burden on the tax-payer. -------------------------------------------------------------- OUR DEMANDS ------------------------------------------------------------- (*) Immediate program to repair and replace all non-functional water meters. (*) Provide consumers with a calibration report, guarantee card & instruction manual of the new water meters (*) Follow the 1988 circular on REBATE on tariff and rent so NO PAYMENT of minimum charges & meter rent if there is No water supply. (*)Billing format must be revised to include details of current meter reading. (*) Compulsory display of water pipeline network maps in the Panchayats & Municipal Councils. (*) Fix daily/weekly time for redressal of Consumer complaints with Junior & Assistant Engineers. (*) Senior PWD officials must hold consumer Open House / Adalats in all Talukas. (*)Chief Engineer must attend all Goa State Consumer Protection Council meetings to resolve consumer grievances at the State level. (*)An annual status report be prepared on the water supply requirements of domestic & commercial consumers and the same be made available to the Village & Zilla Panchayats and Municipal Councils. (*) A time bound review and monitoring system for "public taps" and "free water connections". (*) Full fledged inquiry by the Vigilance Department of the constant bursts / breakdowns of the Selaulim pipeline. (*) Withdrawal of unjustified increase in the domestic water tariff to be implemented from June 2006. (*)Suspension of the disconnection of all Public Taps in VillagePanchayats & Muncipalities until a water audit is conducted taking the local bodies into confidence. (*)PWD must reduce its 49% non revenue water supply (water that is not paid for) and end mis-management and corruption within the Department. (*)Scrap proposed Rs. 1,376 crore loan from the Japan Bank to implement the JICA plan. (*)A PWD water system that is transparent and accountable to its consumers. ---------------------------------------------------- Today's Dharna had participation of consumer forum volunteers from the villages of Assolna, Cansaulim, Cuncolim, Davorlim, Majorda, Navelim, Nuvem, Velim & Betalbatim and was co-ordinated by (GOACAN) GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK ------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK -------------------------------------------------------- promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa -------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao, Goa 403 601 GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507 mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.goacan.org -------------------------------------------------------
