Panaji: Water resources minister Subhash Shirodkar said that the process is on to finalise three new dam projects on Mhadei for the state. He said that it could take around a year to get all permissions ready for the projects. Shirodkar said the increased raw water capacity can help up drinking water supply in Goa to 24×7, after the required enhancement of capacity of water treatment plants is carried out.“We have finalised the location for three new dams. The work of preparing the reports is on like soil testing, forest and environment departments’ permissions. The locations are at Charvane, Kajumol and one in Shiroda. The projects may take around a year to be finalised, provided we get permission from the forest department,” said Shirodkar.He said that once the new dams are constructed, 24X7 water supply will finally be possible in Goa.“Some pipeline networks will have to be laid again, some new tanks will have to be constructed. But mainly new water treatment plants will have to be constructed. We have already given an NoC to increase water treatment capacity by 50MLD for Opa water treatment plant,” said Shirodkar.Even as Goa continues to fight the Mhadei water diversion issue with Karnataka in Supreme Court, the state water resources department (WRD) in 2020 began exploring 10 minor dam projects in the Mandovi river basin.The water conservation projects are being taken up in locations as identified in the master plan drawn up in 1999 for the basin.In the 1990s, Goa govt had appointed a panel of experts to prepare a master plan of water potential of the Mandovi river basin to meet the state’s long-term needs. The panel submitted its report on Jan 31, 1999; accordingly, Anjunem and Amthane reservoirs were readied. However, work on 59 other projects could not take off at the time.As Goa submitted earlier before the Mhadei water disputes tribunal, the state intends to meet the demand for its ‘major uses’ through these projects, identified by the panel of experts.
