Farakka’s drinking water crisis set to end with Rs 150 cr project
Kolkata: The long-standing drinking water crisis in Farakka block, Murshidabad, is finally set to be resolved with the launch of Rs 150 crore drinking water project by the Bengal government. The project, which aims to provide clean drinking water to thousands of households, was inaugurated on Wednesday in Beowa-I area of Farakka block.
MLA Monirul Islam, along with TMC leaders Byron Biswas, Nilufa Yasmin and others, attended the foundation stone-laying ceremony.
The project, spearheaded by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department, is set to benefit around 1.30 lakh people in 25,000 households situated along the western bank of the Farakka Feeder Canal. Once completed, the initiative will ensure a steady supply of clean drinking water to the region for the next few decades. The entire project is expected to be completed by December 2025 with water reaching homes in the Beowa-I, Beowa-II, Bahadurpur, Imam Nagar and Beniagram Gram Panchayats.
Monirul Islam, addressing the event, shared that the state government had already allocated Rs 82 crore for the first phase of the project, with a total of more than Rs 150 crore earmarked for the entire venture. As part of the project, a new water treatment plant will be established in Beowa and seven overhead reservoirs will be constructed to ensure the efficient distribution of water. An intake tank will also be built on the Gumani River to source clean water for the region. Once operational, the water from these reservoirs will be piped directly to the homes of residents. Islam explained that due to the rocky terrain along the Farakka Feeder Canal, traditional bore wells were not a viable solution for sourcing water. As a result, the state government, under the guidance of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, decided to source and purify water from the Gumani River to ensure a reliable supply of clean drinking water.
The MLA also issued a stern warning to locals, stressing that the Kolkata-based contractor appointed for the project should not face any harassment or extortion. “If anyone tries to extort money or makes unjust demands, we will take strict action with the help of the police and administration,” Monirul Islam warned.
