Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA – In one of its kind administrative approval conveyed by the government, Principal Chief Engineer (OWD), and Ex-Officio Addl . Secy to the Government of Goa to the work of “Design and Construction of 5 MLD Water Treatment Plant including Operation and Maintenance period of five years at Gavnem, Gaondongrim of Canacona taluka.
The administrative approval amounting to Rs. 38.8 Cr comes after a decade of completion of Gavnem Dam(Gaondongrim) and that too with strictures/conditions. The four conditions that have come along with Administrative Approval (i) The tenders shall not be invited unless the land is acquired ii. No recruitment under Work Charged Establishment shall be made for this work. ii.The necessary funds are available with the Division to take up this new work and the fourth condition is The Tenders should not be invited unless the detailed estimate is prepared and technically sanctioned by the competent Authority.
Interestingly, the order was signed by U. P Parsekar Principal Chief Engineer (OWD), and Ex-Officio Addl . Secy to the Government of Goa on Thursday (16/01/2025) and order is assigned a Job number and is entered in the register of Administrative Approval (2024-2025).
Gaunem dam in Gaondongrim village of Canacona constituency was completed somewhere in 2016 at a cost of Rs. 21 cr and with a storage capacity of 177 hectare-meter, the dam was supposed to provide 5 million liters of water per day (MLD) not only to address the domestic use but basically meet the water woes of Irrigation purpose of Gaondongrim and Khotigao villages. The areas which reels under acute water shortage during summer are the entire Gaondongrim village including Nane, Indrawada, Bharsa, Bhuper, Tudal, Ziltawadi, Satorlim and many parts of neighboring Khotigao village.
Gaunem dam was constructed under WRD, who quickly washed off its hands of further responsibility of reachout the water needy places saying their job is to construct the dam, and PWD (Water-supply) has to make further arrangements for its supply.
Since the dam was constructed, it has primarily one of the main important challenges being land acquisition.. This problem was literally solved to the extent of 95% during the term of former Dy. Speaker Ispeaker Fernandes, by convincing and obtaining NoC’s for constructing Canals, Ground level and Overhead tanks, but the dam (Gaunem dam) continued to remain a white elephant for nearly over 9 years.
With the issuance of latest conditions based Administrative Approval for construction of 5 MLD Water Treatment Plant at Gaunem dam, which primarily one of the several works being pursued under Canacona Vision and Mission-2030, sources from Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar office states that with the continuous follow ups and efforts put in by the Speaker and Canacona, a long pending demand of Canacona Constituency related to water supply in Constituency gets a major boost.
Understandably, it is learnt that the NOC for housing the Overhead Water Tank is still not yet finalised, which according to the first condition of AA issued on Thursday for 5 MLA Water Treatment Plant at Gaunem Gaondongrim is sanctioned for an amount of 38,08,49,985/-