alipurduar: The Alipurduar Municipality is taking an initiative to prevent water logging during monsoons by installing 13 pump houses equipped with modern and high-capacity pump machines near the banks of the Kaljani River.
On Wednesday, officials from the Irrigation and Waterways department along with municipal engineers surveyed the areas to draw up a plan to rid the area of water logging during the rainy season.
Prasenjit Kar, Alipurduar Municipality Chairman; Mampi Adhikari, Vice Chairman and councillors from various wards were present during the survey.
Chairman Prasenjit Kar stated that he had discussed the matter with officials from the State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department and was instructed to send a DPR (Detailed Project Report) at the earliest. “There is a need for pump houses at 13 points in the city. High-capacity pumping machines will be installed at these points to remove accumulated rainwater in the 20 wards of the city during heavy rainfall,” added Kar.
The DPR will be prepared and sent to the State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department in the first week of April, and after approval of funds, work will commence before the rainy season. The estimated cost of each pump house is to the tune of Rs 50 to 60 lakh. Construction work will begin in a phases-wise manner.
Councillor Santunu Debnath stated that old pumps of the municipality are being used at present and it takes a long time. During heavy rainfall, low-lying areas of the city, including Santinagar, Suryanagar, Anandanagar, Saradapalli, New Alipurduar Station area, some parts of Madhyapara, Loharapool, and Dweepchar are inundated. Currently, the pump sets are operated under the open sky using a tarpaulin cover to carry out the work since there is no pump house available.
“Having both a pump house and modern pumps can help resolve the problem of water logging in the city. Implementing a scientifically sound drainage system master plan is also necessary,” added Debnath.