Raheja borewells at Verna under scanner

ALL’S NOT WELL
Raheja borewells at Verna under scanner
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Four borewells dug by SEZ developer K Raheja Corp at the Verna industrial estate to meet their construction water needs got them a show cause notice from the water resources department, asking why action shouldn’t be initiated against them for violating the Goa Ground Water Regulation Act.
In response, Raheja has admitted to digging the bore wells and said the four borewells were dug, “before the notification of the scheduled area.”
Confirming this, executive engineer and ground water officer, Margao, H M Rangaraju said, “We had issued show cause notices to two companies, one of them being Raheja, as they had dug bore wells without permission. Raheja later obtained permission from the Goa Industrial Development Corporation and has submitted an application to us to register the same. But we are yet to decide on this.”
Raheja spokesperson Shabbir Kanchwala stated that they are currently buying ready mix concrete and so require less water and once the factory is operational they will be recycling water. “We will create water bodies like ponds, water falls and fountains in our campus. We will use recycled water and will not discharge it into existing waste or storm water lines. Besides, bottled water will be provided for drinking. This will not burden the existing water discharge infrastructure in the state.”
The Raheja move has upset the Loutolim village panchayat members, who have passed a resolution demanding the closure or capping of these bore wells which have dried up the natural spring in the village.
They informed the water resources department on June 4, 2008 about this and requested the department, “To take immediate steps to revoke all permission issued and stop issuing any further NOCs for sinking bore wells in Verna industrial estate.”
Raheja also plan to harvest rainwater. “We will utilise the topography scientifically to recharge the ground water table with run off water from the monsoons. In addition to above, all our IT buildings will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified green buildings. Hence we will promote economical use of water and power,” said Kanchwala.
It is pertinent to note that Raheja, in their application to GIDC, had stated that they would require 40 lakh litres of water a day. In the lease deal, GIDC had stated that they shall not be liable or responsible for the supply of water to the SEZ and the company should make their own arrangement for water during the construction stage.
September 2, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition