"MHADEI PAPERS" - VOL 3 : Opa Water Works fails to impress MWDT.
At downstream, if you do not fully utilise the resource; the upstream guy would take advantage.
Hon'ble MWDT visited on 16th December 2013, "OPA Water Works" at Khandepar Village, in Ponda Taluka.
The objective of the State Government of Goa, was to highlight it's importance, as a source of water supply to the citizens of the state. Opa Water works supplied water to the residents of Tiswadi and Ponda Talukas. It's current capacity is 140 MLD (Million Litres Per Day).
In 2013, the total water pumped from river Khandepar, which is a tributary of river Mhadei, was only 114 MLD, equivalent to 0.147tmc per annum.
The hon'ble tribunal also noted that there has been no rain water conservation efforts on the part of State Govenment Of Goa.
Clearly the impression which prevailed on the hon'ble tribunal is that, State Government Of Goa, is not fully utilising the resources of Mhadei and letting most if it to flow in Arabian Sea.
And Goa Government, then under the leadership of Mr.Manohar Parrikar, failed to impress that the natural resources of the state are stretched, and it cannot afford to share the same with any other state.
In fact, there were no future plans shared with the hon'ble tribunal either, for the proper enhanced utilisation of Khandepar river waters either; which could have strengthened Goa's case.
Since, 2013 to 2023; the pumping capacity of "OPA Water Works" has increased from 114 MLD to 140 MLD, roughly about 23%, while the state of Goa has seen much rapid and intense urbanisation.
Swayampurna Goa Yojana,, of State Government Of Goa, aimed to provide water-tap connection to every household by the end of December 2020; but there is no progress report on the same by Mr.Pramod Sawant government.
Even the households in many villages across different talukas of Goa, who have tap connections do not get water for sometimes as much as a month, as widely reported in media, from time to time.
Article 21 of The Constitution Of India, has made the "Right To Drinking Water" a fundamental human right of the citizens of India.
The crux of the matter is when a river basin is shared among different states, and you are at downstream, it is utmost important to maximise the utilisation of the resource.
Mhadei dispute has been raging since 1985, and still in 2013, State Government Of Goa, was found wanting, in this regard.
As of March 2019, Khandepar River is the source of drinking water for 30% population of the state of Goa through schemes built on Khandepar River near Opa. The nearby farms, use this water for irrigation. The water from the Opa Weir is released for irrigation purpose from the month of December to May.
The famous Dudhsagar Waterfall, is also on the river Khandepar.