MAPUSA
Even as Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar has assured that Goa has sufficient water reserves to meet public demand until June 15, declining levels in several key dams and reservoirs have raised concerns over the State’s water security ahead of the monsoon.
Shirodkar stated that major dams and reservoirs across Goa currently hold adequate storage and that the department is closely monitoring the situation to prevent any disruption in water supply during the peak summer period.
The assurance comes at a time when reservoir levels in several crucial water sources have dropped significantly due to intense heat and poor pre-monsoon rainfall.
The Anjunem dam, a critical source of water for Sattari and parts of Bicholim taluka, has seen storage levels fall sharply to just 18 per cent. Similarly, the Selaulim reservoir, which supplies a major portion of South Goa, has dropped to 33 percent capacity. Water levels at the Tillari dam stand at 36 percent, while the smaller Panchwadi dam has recorded only 28 percent storage.
The dwindling reserves reflect the mounting pressure on the State’s water resources amid soaring temperatures and scanty pre-monsoon showers this year. While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast an early onset of the southwest monsoon in Goa around May 31, the delay in substantial rainfall so far has intensified concerns over sustaining water supply in the coming weeks.
Although the government maintains that the situation remains under control for now, the sharp decline in reservoir levels highlights Goa’s increasing vulnerability to erratic weather patterns and seasonal water stress. Authorities are expected to continue closely regulating supply and monitoring consumption until the arrival of consistent monsoon rains.
