Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Aug 11: The State Water Resources Department (WRD) has proposed shutting the flow of water through the Tillari canal for three months from October 1 to December 31 to facilitate major maintenance and repair works, particularly along stretches of the canal in Maharashtra.
The proposal is awaiting approval from the State government. The proposed shutdown could have implications for North Goa’s water infrastructure, including the Porvorim and Pilerne water systems. However, the WRD has said drinking-water supplies will not be affected as adequate storage arrangements are being planned.
“We have moved a proposal to the State government to shut down the Tillari canal for three months beginning from October 1. The proposal is yet to be approved,” WRD Chief Engineer Dnyaneshwar Salelkar said.
The Tillari system is a major source of raw water for North Goa. Water from the canal is supplied to the Assonora and Porvorim water treatment plants, while the canal network also supports irrigation requirements.
The proposed shutdown is significant for the Pilerne area, where the government is developing infrastructure to draw raw water from the Tillari canal. The government has said that a 30 MLD raw-water pumping station at Calangute on the Tillari canal is being developed to cater to the Pilerne Industrial Estate and surrounding villages of Calangute and Saligao.
The government is also working to augment raw-water infrastructure for treatment plants at Assonora, Guirim and Pilerne. With the canal flow proposed to remain shut for three months, water availability for the Pilerne industrial area and other non-drinking-water requirements could become an important concern, particularly if the shutdown coincides with the commissioning or ramping up of the new infrastructure.
Salelkar, however, said the department had made arrangements to ensure that the closure would not affect drinking-water supplies.
“The shutdown of the canal will have no impact on drinking water supply as adequate storage preparation has been made,” he said.
The prolonged shutdown has been proposed due to the deteriorating condition of the canal and repeated breaches and seepages reported along various stretches.
Major strengthening and renovation work has already been undertaken on the Goa side, with the government allocating around Rs 128 crore for redesigning and strengthening the canal network. Earlier works included strengthening a 4.5-km stretch of the Left Bank Main Canal supplying water to the Assonora and Porvorim treatment plants.
The Tillari system is an inter-State irrigation project, with the dam located in Maharashtra supplying water to North Goa for drinking and irrigation. The Left Bank Main Canal enters Goa and supplies major treatment facilities, including Assonora, Porvorim and Pilerne. The Right Bank Main Canal serves areas in Pernem and supplies treatment facilities including Chandel, Mopa and Dhargal.
The dependence of North Goa’s water supply on the Tillari system was highlighted during earlier canal shutdowns. In late 2023, a maintenance-related closure lasted more than a month and affected the Porvorim plant, forcing authorities to make alternative arrangements, including pumping water from the Sal area into Amthane reservoir for treatment.
In April this year, a breach in a major pipeline near the Tillari canal crossing at Colvale also disrupted water supply to several parts of Bardez, including Porvorim, highlighting the region’s dependence on Tillari-linked infrastructure.
The proposed three-month closure is expected to provide authorities an opportunity to carry out maintenance work at several critical stretches, particularly in Maharashtra, in coordination with officials there.
The WRD has been holding discussions with Maharashtra authorities before finalising the shutdown schedule.