----------------------------------------------------- Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help other CONSUMERS to be better informed. ----------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN Water Consumer's Rights Awareness Fortnight ----------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN will observe a Water Consumer’s Rights Awareness Fortnight from the 22nd March on the occasion of World Water Day to highlight the various challenges faced by consumers on issues of water shortages, drinking water quality, water contamination and the various Acts & Rules linked to water.
During the fortnight GOACAN along with the volunteers from the village based Consumer Forums and campus based Consumer Welfare Cells will disseminate information necessary for consumers to understand their rights & responsibilities linked to water. Volunteers will promote the use of the Water Helpline to encourage consumers of the Public Works Department (PWD) Water Supply to report their complaints of short supply, low pressure, non receipt of bills and leakages from water tanks and pipelines. The role & scope of the loan of over Rs.1000 crores taken by Goa Govt. from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for the augmentation of the water supply network and its impact on consumers will also be discussed during the fortnight. The volunteers will also interact with PWD officials to better understand the functioning of the various filtration plants in Goa, the role of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) laboratories and the supply network at the Taluka level. The volunteers will also work to activate the functioning of the PWD promoted Village Water and Sanitation Committee at the Panchayat level by undertaking the testing of drinking water sources such as taps, wells & springs by using the Water Testing Kit provided to every Panchayat by the PWD. During the fortnight GOACAN will prepare volunteers for the forthcoming Gram Sabha meetings to discuss proposals on the Water Security of the village and the need for a Water Audit to determine the sources and quantum of water available. Consumer Forum volunteers will also interact with the officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD) to better understand the various irrigation schemes of the Department and the supply of raw water to PWD for treatment & onward distribution to consumers. During the fortnight volunteers will discuss the need for alternatives to the present practice of supplying treated water for industrial purposes and daily usage in toilets of households. Volunteers will also create awareness on the scope and purpose of the Goa Ground Water Regulation Act 2002, the role of the Ground Water Cell presently headed by the Chief Engineer WRD, the registration of existing wells, permission for new wells & transportation of ground water by tankers. Consumers are requested to send copies of their water related complaints & suggestions by post to GOACAN Post Box 187, Margao 403 601 or on email to <[email protected]> during this fortnight. ---------------------------------------------------------- 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 mail: [email protected] Visit: http://goacan.blogspot.com ---------------------------------------------------------
