Firhad Hakim lays foundation stone for 67 projects including safe drinking water

Kolkata: Firhad Hakim, the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister, laid foundation stone of 67 different projects in Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri.

Goutam Deb, the state Tourism minister, was also present in the programme that was held at Taxi Stand area in Dhupguri on Sunday evening.

The 67 projects include construction of better drainage system, concrete roads and river embankments. Foundation stone of a project to ensure supply of sufficient safe drinking water to the people in the area has also been laid.

The total cost of the 67 projects for which the foundation stone has been laid is Rs 35 crore and around 55,000 residents of Dhupuguri Municipality will be benefitted by the safe drinking water project. Under the scheme, purification plants will be set up at six water reservoirs and it will help to supply safe drinking water to the residents. The cost of the water treatment

project is more than Rs 8 crore and a target of one year has been set to complete the project.

The 67 projects will come up in most of the 16 Wards of the municipality. The work will ensure better civic facilities to the residents of the area.

It may be mentioned that directions have been given to complete the task as early as possible. There are some projects that will be completed within the next three to four months while some will take around a year. Following the directions, the municipal authorities are taking all necessary steps so that the work gets completed within the set deadline.

It may be mentioned that the Mamata Banerjee government has taken various steps for the development of North Bengal.

In the past seven years, the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department too, has carried out a major works to ensure an overall development of the urban areas in North Bengal.