Youth revive water tank on L-day

SATTARI: Youth from the villages surrounding Mulgao, some 3 kilometres from Bicholim, celebrated liberation day by cleaning up and repairing a dilapidated portion of the sacred tank of the Shantadurga Pomburfekarin temple, Mulgao.The sacred tank, knownlocally as "Devachi tali" used to quench the drinking water needs of thelocality and the temple. The family of the temple priest and villagers used thetank's water for drinking, however, washing of clothes and dumping of plasticbags and other garbage in the vicinity caused pollution. Volunteersof Bharat Swabhiman, the youth wing of Goa Pathanjali Yog Samiti cleaned it upon Saturday."Though, the villagers claimed that the water was cleanand pure, intrusion of polluted water in the upper portion of the tank wasmaking water unsafe for drinking," said Kamlesh Bandekar fromBicholim.Locals have great respect for the Devachi tali and itswater is regarded as "thirth" or sacred. "When we noticed the feelings of thelocals towards this tank, we decided to undertake the work of cleaning andrepairing it," president of the North Goa unit of Bharat Swabhiman VishwasKorgaonkar said.Without causing damage to the tank's originalstructure, the volunteers cleaned the surrounding premises and the reservoir."They repaired a broken portion by plastering the bricks with clay."They also pumped out water in a holistic manner and cleaned thetank," said Vishant Vaze of Bicholim.It is the aim of the NGO torevive water bodies in the state. "With the water being supplied through taps,villagers have forgotten springs, wells and tanks in their locality. We want torevive these water bodies and encourage the locals to take an interest in waterharvesting and water conservation," state president of the Bharat SwabhimanSuraj Kanekar said.