Siliguri Municipal Corporation set to take action against illegal boring for groundwater

Siliguri: With scorching summers drinking water problems have returned to Siliguri. A section of city dwellers are further aggravating the problem by using Tullu pumps for extracting drinking water and using it for other works.

Illegal boring is going on in different areas of Siliguri also. The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) had decided to take strict action against this. Gautam Deb, the Mayor of Siliguri, has instructed SMC officials to conduct surveys. If required, the water supply connection will be cut off in case such violations come

to the fore.

“There is already a shortage of drinking water. Many city dwellers are involved in illegal boring. Many use pumps to lift the water supplied by SMC. Therefore, we will conduct a survey and will identify such houses or buildings. If required, we will cut off the water supply connections there,” warned the Mayor.

On Tuesday, the Board of Members’ meeting of SMC took place at the SMC office. Councillors of opposition parties raised several questions against illegal boring and drinking water problems.

In response, Mayor Gautam Deb said that there is a requirement of around 100 million liters of water per day (MLD), whereas less than 55 MLD water is available in the city. As a result, water cannot be supplied equally to every ward. On top of that, many are using that drinking water for other purposes like construction work. Boring is also being carried out without permission from the SMC.

“The survey will start soon. We will also hold a meeting with experts on this matter. To resolve the drinking water problem temporarily, we are sending water tanks to those wards where there is a severe drinking water problem. More water tanks will be brought in,” Deb added.

He also said that work on setting up the mega drinking water project is going on. A task force has been constituted to monitor the work.

Booster pumping stations to remove iron from water will be set up in wards 5, 33, and 3. The pumping station in ward number 5 will be set up by May 7.