CM Sawant to meet Fadnavis over frequent repairs of dam
Sankhali/Panaji: After water was released through the Tillari canal following repairs to the breached canal of the Tillari dam on January 24 at Sateli Bhedshi, Bhomwadi in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that he will soon meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The meeting will focus on ensuring that the canal work in Maharashtra is of high quality and that the water supply remains uninterrupted.
Minister for Water Resources Subhash Shirodkar said that regular patrols will be conducted along the Tillari canal to monitor for any seepage. The canal had been closed for ten days following a large breach in the left main canal of the Tillari Dam at Sateli Bhedshi, Bhomwadi. Water was finally released towards Goa on Monday afternoon after the canal was repaired.
The WRD Minister said that water supply through Tillari canal has been restored in limited quantities and will be increased at night, so water supply will be restored in Bicholim Monday evening and in Porvorim and other areas by Tuesday evening.
On January 24, a hole in the culvert pipe beneath the embankment caused the soil embankment to break, leading to water leakage and a landslide. The canal burst, releasing a large amount of water and blocking the Kudase-Vanoshi-Sateli-Bhedshi road. This disruption severely affected Bicholim, Bardez, and other parts of North Goa over the past 10 days, resulting in a serious water crisis for residents in these areas.
The work was accelerated and finally, as soon as the work was completed on Monday afternoon, water was released from the canal, informed Chief Engineer Pramod Badami.
On Monday evening at Altinho, Minister Shirodkar told the media that the construction of the left and right canals of the Tillari Dam, a joint project between Maharashtra and Goa, is of excellent quality in Goa.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sawant said that he has taken serious note of the situation that occurred after breach of the canal, adding that due to problems on a regular basis on the Maharashtra side, Goa has been facing irregular water supply.
“I will soon meet the Maharashtra Chief Minister to discuss this issue in detail to work out a permanent solution pertaining to Tillari canal upgradation,” he said.
The WRD Minister said that he has given instruction to the officials of the department to carry out patrolling along the canal to monitor leakages or seepages in the canal.
He said that the Tillar canal in the Maharashtra side is in poor condition and our Chief Minister will take up this matter with the Maharashtra Chief Minister soon.
“I hope with the repair of the canal, there will not be any problem for water supply in the next four months,” he said.
Shirodkar said that the water projects initiated by the Goa government, including the construction of a barrage at the River Sal, would provide significant relief in the future.
