Govt negligence cause of crisis: Locals

The locals on Tuesday claimed that the water crisis in Tiswadi and parts of Ponda taluka could have been averted had the government installed the pipeline on the other side of road at Curti on time. They informed that several pipes, which were bought few years ago for shifting the main damaged pipeline, have gathered dust on opposite side of road as no work commenced despite several landslides and damages to the main pipelines at Kerya in the past.  
Sudin lays blame on national highway contractor
The locals allege that it was negligence on the part of the government for failing to install the pipelines on the other side of road on time, which led to sufferings of Tiswadi and Ponda residents. Last year, a major landslide at Kerya forced the officials to close the NH for a fortnight. The NH widening work has caused damage to the pipelines several times.
Former PWD Minister, Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar on Monday after inspecting the site at Curti accused the National Highway contractor M Venkata Rao Infra Project of negligence, which led to the breakdown of two pipelines supplying water to Tiswadi and parts of Ponda taluka. 
The former minister informed that the PWD had asked the contractor in December 2018 to shift 900 mm diameter and 750 mm diameter pipelines. The contractor was also reminded in January 2019 to shift the two pipelines but he failed to do so. Following the road widening work, the pipelines were damaged and got buried under. The retaining wall too weakened and this time too, the contractor did not act and landslide occurred due to the heavy downpour which damaged these main pipelines.

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