Jalpaiguri: Multiple municipal wards in the Jalpaiguri town are reeling under major water crisis. While the water tanks in the houses remain near empty, even the municipal taps on the roadside have run dry.
As a measure to counter this crisis, two pump houses are being installed.
Besides, it is said that the Water Supply department employees of the Jalpaiguri Municipality are working in night shifts to keep the water supply normal in all the wards, including the ones facing acute shortage of water.
Drinking water is supplied to 25 wards from a total of 5 overhead tanks in Jalpaiguri Municipality area, Maskalaibari, PD College, Raikat Para, Composite Complex, Anand Para area.
There are also 22 more pump houses for drinking water supply, from which water is supplied directly. Municipality authorities state that in 25 wards, about 14,000 houses have drinking water connections.
However, for the past few years the drinking water problem has become a regular affair during summers. This year, the problem has become acute owing to which the residents of wards 22 and 25 of the municipality had blocked the Jalpaiguri Siliguri road in protest. Several complaints have been lodged from wards 20, 21, 23, 24. The residents made it clear during the agitation that if the problem is not resolved soon, they will embark on a
major protest.
Papia Pal, chairperson of the municipality said that this problem is due to the water level going down during summers. “However, we have started work to resolve the problem. The government has approved the construction of two pump houses in wards 22 and 23. Accordingly, the work has started and will be completed in the next 15 to 20 days. Once the work is completed, the problems of the residents of wards 20 to 25 will be solved,” stated Pal.
Water tankers are being sent to the concerned wards where there is a crisis. The chairperson said that owing to the drop in ground water level, there is a problem in lifting water. Because of this, night shift work is going on to draw water from the overhead tank in the Maskalaibari area.