Karwar: The construction works related to the drinking water supply project from Gangavali river to Gokarna dominated the progress review meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in the City on Friday.

District In-charge Minister R V Deshpande received information about the progress of the implementation of the project from the Water Supply Board officials.

One of the officers said that people in Ankola taluk are interrupting the works demanding water supply to their villages. With their interruption, the project worth Rs 36 crore has been stopped midway, he added.

MLA Roopali Naik said, the pipeline installation works of the project are passing through Moraba and Mogata villages in Ankola taluk and people of those villages have requested to provide drinking water to them also. However, they have never opposed the construction works. As they are facing drinking water problems, they demanded water and said that they would not allow continuing the works, if they were deprived of drinking water facility. “They need water and hence, their demand is acceptable,” she added.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner S S Nakul said, according to the scheduled time, the construction works of the project should be completed within March. If needed, the works should be continued under the security of police, he directed.

Intervening him, Minister R V Deshpande said, demanding water is not their fault. Hence, send separate proposals for the villages, where there is a need for drinking water and then continue the construction works, he directed.

Saline water problems

MLAs Sunil Naik, Dinakar Shetty and Roopali Naik said that during the high tides in the ocean, the saline water gets accumulated in the rivers on the coastal region. From this, though having water in the wells, people cannot use it for drinking purpose. To avoid such problems, gates should be installed across the rivers permanently, they added.

In his reply, the minister asked the Minor Irrigation Department Executive Engineer to send proposals within a week to the task force in this regard and works can be taken up based on the availability of funds.  Meanwhile, he warned the higher officials concerned to issue circulars within three days to the officials missing taluk panchayat meetings and gram sabhas.