Soon, PHE to supply piped drinking water to Nandigram

The state Public Health Engineering department (PHE) has chalked out a plan to supply piped drinking water in Nandigram soon. The project will cover Nandigram blocks I and II and Nandakumar. Once implemented, large numbers of people in Nandigram will get drinking water facility.

Drinking water is a major problem in the area. To address the problem, a scheme has been chalked out. It will be placed before the state PHE minister Subrata Mukherjee for his approval.

It may be recalled that at a meeting in Nandigram held in December 2015, Chief Minister Mamata 

Banerjee had proposed to field Suvendu Adhikari from the area in the Assembly election to ensure 

development in the area. Adhikari who was an MP resigned and contested in the Assembly poll and 

won by landslide victory. He has been made the state transport minister.

Banerjee had opposed forcible acquisition of land at Nandigram by the erstwhile Left Front government which led to the killing of 14 people. She started her movement that led to end of 34 years of rule by the Left Front in West Bengal.

It is evident that the Left Front government had not done anything for the people of Nandigram depriving them of basic amenities like the supply of drinking water. Only 10 per cent area is 

now under the coverage of piped drinking water.

Under the proposed scheme, ground water would be lifted, stored in reservoir and then supplied by pipeline. In lifting underground water, the norms of the central ground water board will be followed. Twenty four deep tubewells will be installed under the scheme.

Senior engineers said as the water of river Rupnarayan contained high salinity, it would be difficult to make the water saline free and supply to households.

Asked whether where the system would affect ground water, senior engineers said the water would be replenished.

In agriculture, more than 80 per cent water is lifted from ground water and they get replenished.

The PHE has chalked out elaborate schemes to ensure that people living in the remotest areas get 

piped water.

There are plans for the drought torn areas. Also, the unique system of lifting unfiltered water from rivers and water bodies has been successful.

The unfiltered water is purified and then supplied with the help of underground pipes. Schemes have been made for drought hit districts like Bankura and Purulia and some of the schemes have already started functioning.