BY AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
Pomburpa spring, which has been cooling the bodies of locals for years, has had the tag of neglect removed from it with the Goa government deciding to upgrade the facilities around it.
The spring, which has been flowing for years, is the type that sees cold water flow from one mouth and warm water from the other. The locals are happy that the intended upgrades around the spring will not hinder the flow of the water.
“The spring flows from the hill that belongs to the church of Pomburpa. In the olden times, a canal was built that used to allow the water from the spring to flow to the church. The canal became nonfunctional after the priests dug a well near the church,” recollects seventy-eight-year-old Gabriel Alvares.
“As long as the government does not interfere by trying to discover the source of the water, there is no problem. There is no problem if a few frills that do not interfere with the source of the water are added,” thinks Gabriel, who as a youngster tried to discover the source of the spring.
“As children, we climbed the hill often to discover from where the water started flowing, but we never managed because as we climbed higher, it became difficult, as the water flows through the roots of the trees. That is one reason why it is medicinal,” discloses Gabriel.
“This is one of those rare springs where from one side we get cold water and the other, warm water. The government has, in the past, tried to study the flow of the water from the spring, but fortunately, they did not go ahead with the plan. They could destroy the spring,” expresses Melissa Carvalho, a regular at the spring.
“It is nice that the emphasis is being laid on the cleanliness of the washrooms. They are important to us. We faced a problem with lack of washrooms before and later using dirty washrooms,” moans Melissa.
“As long as the development intended does not disturb the natural elements, development is good. There was a time when labourers used to come and wash their clothes and utensils at the spring, but they have stopped now,” chips in Bella.
“We come to the spring every evening during the summer. There was a time when the recreational facilities created for children were neglected and dangerous to use, but the same are in good condition now,” observes Melo, as he watches his children play.
The Pomburpa Spring, according to an old plaque at the head of the spring, received its first facelift in 1915 thanks to two brothers – Augusto Mathias and Joaquim Vicente Pinto.
“The government built the wall and the changing rooms around twenty years back, but they were never maintained.
The spring is accessible 24/7 to all the people,” claims Virendra, who stays near the spring.
“The bar existed for a long time and that is the only source of refreshment for first-timers. Otherwise, people normally come with their own snacks and drinks,” says Sofia from neighbouring Olaulim.
The summer heat sees the trickle of people coming to bathe increasing; families with their baskets of goodies looking forward to a pleasant time at the Pomburpa Spring.
