Bengal govt sanctions over Rs 10 cr for dredging work and beautification of Mirik

Darjeeling: The Municipal Affairs department of the Government of West Bengal has sanctioned Rs. 10 crores 86 lakhs for dredging the Sumendu Lake in Mirik along with beautification of the surrounding areas. The Mirik Municipality has plans to ensure a complete makeover of this major tourist attraction within a year.

“The State Government has sanctioned Rs. 10 Crores 86 lakhs for dredging work at the lake and beautification work. We will soon start work on this. There is another Detailed Project Report for a garden and park, pegged at Rs. 60 lakh. That has also been sent and will be sanctioned soon” stated LB Rai of the Board of Administrators, Mirik Municipality, talking to the Millennium Post.

Being equidistant from Siliguri (45 km) and Darjeeling (40km) the lake town of Mirik is a major tourist attraction of the Darjeeling Hills. With sprawling tea gardens and orange orchards it has grown into an important offbeat destination with a number of homestays having come up. It is also a popular day tour destination.

However over the years, with rampant sewerage and waste being dumped, has taken a toll on both the lake and the surrounding areas. The Mirik Municipality in a bid to get Mirik back on track has come up with a series of measures.

“We will strictly enforce a plastic ban from June 5- the world environment day. We want to turn around Mirik in a year’s time” added Rai. The Mirik Municipality has also formed a monitoring committee to keep a tab on garbage disposal in Mirik. Anyone finding garbage stacked can inform the municipality and the team will ensure it is properly disposed of.

“Dredging is the need of the hour. There is heavy silt in the lake and boats cannot access many areas of the lake that were previously accessible. Boating is one of the main attractions of Mirik” stated a roadside eatery owner. At present there are 6 paddle boats and 2 Shikaras operational.

In 1969, the West Bengal Tourism Department began acquiring 335 acres from the Thurbo Tea Estate to develop a tourist spot. Development started in 1974 under Chief Minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray, and the site—featuring a newly built lake and Day Centre—was inaugurated in April 1979 by his successor, Jyoti Basu. With tourism flourishing, Krishnanagar developed across the lake with hotels and restaurants. Mirik was later upgraded into a subdivision on March 30, 2017 by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.