KMC draws plans to combat water scarcity

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is taking a slew of measures to address the issue of water scarcity in some pockets in south Kolkata particularly during the summer months when the demand increases nearly three times.

"We have been able to address water woes in the city to a large extent in the last few years. But, there are still some pockets in areas like Jadavpur, Tollygunge and Behala which faces problem of low pressure in water supply particularly during summer when the demand is high. A number of projects are on to address this issue and we hope that in a period of two years there will be absolutely no problem," Mayor Firhad Hakim said at the monthly meeting of the civic body on Tuesday after Left Front councillor Chayan Bhattacharjee brought

an adjournment motion regarding water scarcity in certain pockets.

According to Hakim, the civic body is readying a DPR of a water treatment plant with

10 million gallon capacity adjacent to Dhalai Bridge in Tollygunge.

"We have been handed over a 7 acre land by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority for setting up the plant," the Mayor said.

He further said that the capacity of Garden Reach Waterworks is being increased by 25 million gallon (mgd) from 185 mgd, the Dhapa water treatment plant's

capacity is being increased to 50 mgd from 30 while Palta water treatment plant will supply 260 mgd after the renovation of the plant which is going on in full swing. A number of small booster pumping stations are also coming up in south Kolkata to ensure better supply.

A new plant with capacity of 30 mgd is coming up in Maheshtala which will supply water in Sakuntala Park in Behala.

Mayor pointed out that presently extraction of water from river Ganga is also posing a problem particularly during low tide when mud is getting mixed with water .

Left Front councillor Chayan Bhattacharjee suggested that the civic body would have to stop dependence upon big dia tubewells with groundwater level depleting by leaps and bounds. Mayor agreed with the proposal and said that with the steps being taken the water problem in some pockets will soon be a thing of the past.