Cooch Behar Municipality banks on solar-powered solution to address drinking water shortage

Cooch Behar: Cooch Behar Municipality is taking steps to address the drinking water issue faced by residents residing on the west side of the dam on the Torsa River in Cooch Behar city.

Municipal sources have stated that the solution involves the installation of a solar-powered pumping system on the opposite side of the dam. This water will then be accessible to residents in the vicinity.

The tendering process is already underway and the project is slated to commence as soon as the work orders are issued. The installation of each pump, including the solar system has been estimated at Rs 50 lakh.

Rabindranath Ghosh, chairman of Cooch Behar Municipality, said: “The area on one side of the dam is home to approximately 700 to 800 families without proper drinking water facilities. To address this issue, we plan to set up four pumping stations. The solar-powered pumps will transport the water to a storage tank, which will then be equipped with 8 to 10 taps. This arrangement will allow residents to conveniently collect water.”

A local resident said: “We’ve been grappling with the drinking water problem. Finally, our aspirations are on the verge of being realised.”

Cooch Behar Municipality encompasses a total of 20 wards, with approximately 24 thousand households connected to the city’s drinking water supply.