Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has accused the BJP-led state government of shielding contractor MVR Infra despite repeated damage to Goa’s water infrastructure. GPCC President Amit Patkar, in a statement issued today, alleged that the latest incident at Dabolim, where a main water pipeline was damaged, is just one in a series of such events caused by the same contractor. The incident has left thousands of residents without water, adding to the ongoing water crisis in the state.
Patkar highlighted that over the past decade, MVR Infra has been responsible for multiple cases of pipeline damage, yet the government has neither filed an FIR, nor imposed penalties, nor blacklisted the contractor. He questioned whether MVR Infra enjoys immunity due to political connections with the ruling BJP. Drawing a contrast, Patkar pointed out that common citizens face immediate disconnection for unpaid water bills, while the contractor continues operations despite causing repeated losses to the exchequer.
The Congress has raised concerns that such damages may be benefiting water tanker mafias, forcing people to purchase water at inflated rates. “This is not just negligence — this could very well be a water scam,” Patkar said, accusing the BJP government of turning a blind eye to the issue. He demanded a judicial or independent probe into all incidents involving MVR Infra in the last 10 years, immediate recovery of losses, blacklisting of the contractor, and a white paper on Goa’s water management system under BJP rule.
Patkar concluded by asserting that water is a basic right and must not be reduced to a business opportunity for favoured contractors. The Congress Party has vowed to continue exposing corruption and misgovernance that it claims are at the root of Goa’s water crisis.
