Panaji: After closing down for almost 50 days for regular repairs, the main gate of Tillari Irrigation Project was opened on Wednesday morning, resuming the water supply to North Goa.
Goa water resources department minister Subhash Shirodkar said that the entire work of regular maintenance on Tillari Irrigation Project was completed on Tuesday, December 26.
“The main gates of the project were opened at 5.40 am on Wednesday after which the water started flowing in the canals. The water will reach Porvorim (near Panaji) by tomorrow (Thursday),” the minister said.
The project which takes care of the drinking water requirement of North Goa district was shut down for maintenance on November 8, 2023.
Shirodkar said that the extra water was being pumped from Assanora water plant to make up for the requirement of the water in North Goa district after the temporary closure of Tillari project.
“Though there were attempts made to ensure that there is uninterrupted water supply, there was scarcity faced during certain period. Now, with the resumption of the supply, the scarcity will be over,” he said.
The minister said that Maharashtra government has repaired three kilometer stretch of its canal while Goa took up “lining of the canal” for a stretch of nine kms. “After this, there will be no reason to take up the work of lining of the canal for next 10-15 years,” Shirodkar said.
He said that to avoid the water scarcity in case of closure of Tillari canal, Goa government is working on a project spending Rs 250 crore in which the water from River would be lifted and supplied to the state.
Shirodkar said that 350 MLD of water would be lifted as a part of this project by setting up station at Sal village in North Goa, near Maharashtra border.
