KOLKATA: In a bid to provide purified drinking water in the arsenic affected areas of North 24-Parganas, the district Zilla Parishad has taken up major water treatment projects which are being carried out in phased manner. A total of 4 water projects are underway in the district.
State government has allotted a fund of Rs 4,000 crore for the smooth implementation of four projects, the two of which are almost on the verge of completion. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also instructed the district officials to ensure arsenic free drinking water in the affected zones of the district. Around 21 blocks out of 22 are arsenic affected areas in the district.
Under all these four projects, the water of Hooghly River will be drawn and sent to the treatment plants and the purified drinking water will be supplied to various parts of the district.Under the first project the purified drinking water will be supplied from Kolkata to Rajarhat, Bhangar and vast areas of Haroa. Second treatment plant is coming up at Naihati which will supply purified drinking water to areas like Habra, Gaighata, Deganga, Amdanga. The third project will come up at Chakdaha which will supply water to different parts of Bongaon and Bangdah.
The fourth treatment plant is being constructed at Shyamnagar which will supply water to Swarupnagar, Baduria, Basirhat and Hasnabad.
Following the instruction of the Bengal Chief Minister, the district administrations have initiated these projects to ensure arsenic free water to the people in the affected parts of the district."Most of the parts of North 24-Parganas are arsenic affected. The Chief Minister had directed us to ensure arsenic free drinking water to the people. Some other water treatment plants were initiated in the district earlier as well," a senior official of Zilla Parishad said.