Durgapur Mayor pushes for more robust water supply backup plan

Kolkata: Durgapur Mayor Dilip Kumar Agasty on Wednesday said the municipal corporation of the steel city in Bengal has decided to work on a fresh plan for more robust water supply backup plan so that people and industry

do not face any water crisis in the future.

Durgapur town in West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district is facing a major water crisis since Saturday after the lock gate number 31 of Durgapur barrage suffered heavy damaged and has become non-functional.

Full-Fledged repair of the damaged lock gate commenced this afternoon after the irrigation department was able to control water flow

to the repair site after four days

of struggle.

"This was a bitter learning experience and now I strongly feel we require a more resilient backup plan. I have been able to supply drinking water to the public because I had taken some backup steps previously. But, that is not enough for a

crisis of such magnitude," Agasty said.

He said the final wielding work has commenced and people can expect some respite from the water crisis by Thursday night.

"Once wielding is complete then Damodar Valley Corporation will start releasing

water from upstream dams

like Maithon and Panchet," Agasty said.

Alternative methods were attempted when irrigation department workers failed to dry the repair area. But proper repair has to be done at the dam barrage bed-level at

the damaged gate no 31, officials said.

Some 80 water tankers were pressed into service for water distribution by the Durgapur municipal corporation. The state government also dispatched water pouches for distribution among the people of Durgapur.

Durgapur town is the fourth largest city in West Bengal after Kolkata, Asansol, Siliguri. Durgapur Steel Plant,

Durgapur Projects Limited and a number of industries are located in Durgapur

town. with agency inputs