Kolkata: With a report of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) highlighting the rapid rate of depletion of groundwater level in Kolkata which may pave the way for a spurt in arsenic attacks, Mayor Firhad Hakim said the civic body is working on further increasing the supply of filtered water to eventually phase out the use of tube wells.
KMC councillor Biswarup Dey brought it to the attention of the Mayor that as per data of the CGWB, the groundwater level in the city is depleting at a rapid rate. He said due to this soon there may be a spurt in arsenic attacks. He inquired what is the plan of the KMC to address this problem.
Speaking on the same, the Mayor informed that KMC has been augmenting its capacity of producing treated water and for which it is setting up new treatment plants and installing booster pumping stations and underground reservoirs to eventually phase out dependency on tube wells in certain areas. He said at present KMC is producing 510 MG water and increasing the capacity at Garden Reach Water Works and the Falta treatment plant. He assured more treatment plants will be set up in days to come and work for some of them are in progress. The mayor admitted that with depletion in water levels, the chances of an arsenic attack are high.
Millennium Post reported on June 16 that to replace the use of tube wells in a portion of Ballygunge and to solve the crisis of filtered water supply in Ward 69, KMC will be constructing a semi-underground reservoir (SUGR) cum booster pumping station (BPS) at Ritchie Road.
A substantial portion of Ballygunge Circular Road, Ritchie Road and the adjoining lanes and by-lanes are served by means of power-driven big-diameter tube wells. According to the water supply department, there are some crisis pockets where the normal supply of filtered water is non-existent.
Hakim also emphasised a reduction in the wastage of water. He said that it costs lakhs in water production and supply. “Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has given strict instructions not to impose a tax on water since it is considered as life. Hence, we must conserve water. I would request all to get a water tank ball cock installed to prevent overflowing of water,” he suggested.