Panaji: Goa govt has formed a 10-member task force of department heads to track rising heat and water availability. The panel held its first meeting on Thursday and will meet monthly under chief minister Pramod Sawant, said water resources minister Subhash Shirodkar after the meeting.Shirodkar said Goa has enough water until Aug 2027 despite a 31% rainfall deficit during the 2026 monsoon. He said close monitoring is essential because the situation will depend on how the state manages its available water.The task force will include the education department head to enable decisions on school closures during heatwaves.“We have sufficient water till next Aug, but it will all depend on how we manage the water we have. Even our farmers will have to become more disciplined about how they cultivate. We did not close down 50 of our bandharas this time, as there were standing crops. Farmers need to cultivate as per a fixed schedule so we can improve water management,” Shirodkar said.Earlier, the state had moved to close its 450-odd bandharas early to conserve water amid reduced rainfall.Officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told the meeting there is a possibility of rain in Goa over the next eight days.Goa has faced unusually high temperatures this week, with maximums of 37°C for two consecutive days — about five degrees above normal for this time of year. The IMD has extended a yellow alert for heat until Saturday.Shirodkar said the task force will review climate change impacts, freshwater availability and heatwave risks, and recommend measures for implementation.He said restrictions on swimming pools were not discussed at the first meeting, but could be considered later if required.The IMD has forecast that above-normal heat conditions may persist for a few more days.
