Panaji, June 20 -- Former Minister Jose Philip D'Souza has expressed concern over the growing water scarcity in the state amid delayed monsoon rains, alleging that rampant hill cutting and large-scale deforestation are major contributors to the worsening situation.

Speaking on the issue, D'Souza remarked that the state appears to be "going backwards," claiming that many people have been forced to cook on traditional chullas due to shortages and warning that residents may soon have to rely on wells for their water needs if the situation persists.

He attributed the delayed rainfall and increasing water challenges to unchecked environmental degradation, particularly extensive hill cutting and the destruction of forest cover, which he said ...