Panaji: The water supply from the Tillari Dam to three major talukas in North Goa namely Pernem, Bardez and Bicholim will remain suspended for three months as Maharashtra is undertaking repair works on the canal network, which could bring about hardship to the people.
Minister for Water Resources Subhash Shirodkar said a pipeline linked to the particular water project has been laid between Amthane and Cunchelim and the testing of the same would start immediately, following which it would be used to supply water to the three talukas right up to Porvorim.
The Tillari project, a joint initiative of Goa and Maharashtra, supplies water to several parts of North Goa.
The said work on the left and right canals in Maharashtra will begin on October 1 and continue until December 31, due to which water supply from the Tillari project to Goa will remain suspended during the period.
Around Rs 1.80 crore has been sanctioned for the canal repair work. The governments of Maharashtra and Goa have previously spent crores of rupees on such repairs, although the repeated damages to the canals continues to disrupt water supply.
On earlier occasions, canal breaches had resulted in interruptions to Goa’s water supply, causing difficulties for residents.
He also said that the Goa government will bear the cost of the proposed repair works at 75:25 ratio, as it has been using the water of the said project.
