Sikkim landslides trigger disruption in Siliguri drinking water supply; political protest erupts at municipal office

Siliguri: In the wake of rise in water levels in the Teesta along with landslides in neighbouring Sikkim, the Teesta River has been choked with excessive silt, uprooted trees and floating garbage, triggering a major disruption in the supply of drinking water to Siliguri city. The crisis reached a boiling point on Tuesday as leaders and workers from both the BJP and CPI(M) staged simultaneous protests in front of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) office. The political demonstration turned chaotic when CPI(M) workers attempted to force entry into the office premises. Police intervened, leading to a scuffle in which the main gate of the SMC was damaged. The water supply issue has persisted for several days, affecting almost all wards of the city. The SMC has attributed the crisis to the excessive accumulation of silt and debris in the Teesta River following the Sikkim disaster, which has rendered the usual water extraction systems ineffective.

Mayor Gautam Deb addressed the concerns, stating: “Problems are being created due to natural disasters. We have taken all measures so that people do not face too much trouble. Let them protest — we are with the people.” In an effort to tackle the crisis, Deb visited Fulbari on Tuesday to inspect a newly-constructed intake tank and treatment plant. He was accompanied by officials from the Public Health and Irrigation departments. During the inspection, Deb explained that the Teesta’s water now carries far more silt than in previous years, allowing only one water intake engine to operate effectively — significantly reducing capacity. He added that the SMC now can supply 50 per cent of water due to the new intake tank. To provide temporary relief, the SMC has deployed 35 water tankers of 5,000 litres across affected wards and has supplied 1,50,000 water pouches. Plans are underway to acquire 10 additional tankers and 3 more will be requisitioned from the Public Health Technical department. Meanwhile, Irrigation minister Manas Bhuiyan is expected to visit Siliguri on Wednesday. A high-level meeting will be held at the State Guest House to further assess the crisis and plan coordinated action.