West Bengal News: Safe water back in Siliguri
Trinamool. Trinamool: The Trinamool-run board in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation managed to restore drinking water supply across the city from Sunday afternoon with the help of the state irrigation and PHE departments. Siliguri has been facing a severe drinking water problem since May 28 after the municipal corporation declared that the water supplied to the entire municipal area was unfit for drinking. The municipal corporation then ordered tankers and distributed water pouches for four days, but the supply proved inadequate and many people had to buy water. Advertisement Mayor Gautam Deb said on Sunday that PHE Department officials have confirmed that water taken from the Teesta canal, treated at the treatment plant in Fulbari and supplied to the municipal wards in the city, is fit for human consumption. Deb said, “The chief engineer of the northern circle of PHE sent a letter to the commissioner of SMC on Saturday, mentioning that they conducted several tests and field sampling of treated water of Teesta canal at various locations. They found that the water is potable. We are supplying this water since today afternoon (Sunday).” On May 28, Deb had said that the water supplied had high BOD (biochemical oxygen demand). The water was taken from the Mahananda river as there was no water flow in the Teesta canal due to ongoing repair work by the state irrigation department.
Speaking to a reporter, the mayor said they are also working on a mega drinking water project in Siliguri. The estimated cost of the project under the Centre’s AMRUT 2.0 scheme is ₹511 crore. Under the project, an additional ₹76 crore will be spent on laying pipes. “The first phase of the project is likely to be completed within two years. The tender process has been completed and work order has been issued for the first phase, during which ₹204 crore will be spent,” the mayor said.
He said the plans for the new drinking water project were revised in view of the needs after the Teesta floods last October, which caused heavy damage. The location of the water purification pond, alignment of pipelines and other technical aspects are being improved, he said. “We will hold a meeting in the SMC on June 6 in the presence of officials from the irrigation and PHE departments on the revised plan. Our aim is to complete the project within the stipulated time,” Deb said. The civic body is now working on the tender process for the final phase of the drinking water project, sources said. The tender is likely to be issued after June 4. The third phase of the drinking water project is also in progress. Drains The municipal board at SMC is working to revive the Phuleshwari and Jorapani drains that flow through Siliguri. The project has been taken up with the support of the state irrigation department, which has provided a sum of Rs 10 crore. Deb said the civic body is also working with the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority to set up sewerage plants for the revival of the Mahananda river, which flows through Siliguri. These plants will be set up at Phulbari and Shaktigarh, the mayor said.
