Surface water: 12 blocks out of 341 demarcated critical, says minister

State Water Resources Investigation and Development minister Manas Bhunia in the Assembly on Wednesday said that his department has submitted a proposal to the Centre for the better utilisation of surface water management but no steps have been taken by the Narendra Modi government.

Concerned over the depletion of groundwater, Bhunia in the House said that around 12 blocks out of 341 have been demarcated as critical while 32 more blocks are demarcated as semi-critical.

Meanwhile, in another development, the State PWD minister Pulak Roy in the Assembly on Wednesday published a WhatsApp number where people can register complaints related to the bad conditions of roads which are managed by the PWD department. The number is 9088822111.The minister said that people can directly lodge complaints with the WhatsApp number related to the bad condition of the roads.

They can also upload photographs. Prompt action will be taken to repair the damaged portion of the road. The minister also clarified that any issues related to the bridges that are managed by the PWD can also be raised on this WhatsApp number. This will help the department to take prompt steps to address the issue.

Roy who is also in charge of Public Health Engineering said in the House that two more WhatsApp numbers have been made operational where people can raise any issues which are related to drinking water supply. If people face any difficulties in availing drinking water can register a complaint on these two WhatsApp numbers. They are 8902022222/8902066666. Prompt action will be taken once a complaint is registered. The Mamata Banerjee government has taken several steps to ensure that people do not face any difficulties while availing drinking water. Banerjee during a recent cabinet meeting had formed a high-power committee to further accelerate the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in the state.

Incidentally, two bills ~ The Howrah Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the West Bengal Non-Trading Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2024 were passed in the Assembly. During the discussion on the Howrah Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2024, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim said that the state government has taken a zero tolerance attitude when it comes to illegal building. He said that there should be strong monitoring to check illegal buildings when they are constructed. In case of houses with minor deviations there are provisions to clear the cases with a fine. But no leniency will be shown in case of any major deviations in the building plans.