Vasco: For the second consecutive day, residents of Mormugao taluka were left with no water supply from the Selaulim water treatment plant due to a technical snag, leaving taps dry. Residents faced an acute shortage on Saturday as well, even as the heat continued amid deficit monsoon rainfall activity.Officials from the drinking water department (DWD) said the snag that developed in the valves at the Selaulim water treatment plant was rectified late Friday evening. “Pumping operations started on Saturday morning, and water supply to the affected areas will be restored from Saturday midnight,” a DWD official said.Locals, however, said the department failed to meet their requirements during the ongoing water crisis. Only one tanker was hired by the authorities, and it did not reach all affected areas. This was also because storage tank-cum-sumps maintained by the drinking water department ran dry.Affected residents were forced to depend on private tankers, which took advantage of the crisis by charging Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per tanker of 7,000 to 9,000 litres.Residents of New Vaddem were among the worst hit. “The department should have taken enough care by making alternative arrangements to supply water to affected areas, but they failed. People were helpless as private tankers failed to reach, citing waste of time and loss of money,” alleged agitated New Vaddem resident Santosh Parab.He further alleged that private tanker operators diverted their tankers to housing complexes and apartments, where they earned double compared to other residential areas during the prevailing water crisis.
Locals said the authorities hired only one tanker and it did not reach all affected areas. Some had to depend on private tankers that charged from Rs 1,000-1,500 per tanker of 7,000 to 9,000 litres
