DARJEELING, 7 MARCH: The state government has sanctioned Rs 7.07 crore to replace the old water distribution pipes here, install new pipes, and set up new reservoir tanks in Rockvale and St Paul's.
In this new set-up, the water will be drawn from Sinchel Lake and held in the new tanks on the outskirts of Darjeeling. Although the distribution project is in the cards for Darjeeling, the system for pumping the water from the Balasun river up to Sinchel Lake is likely to take at least another fiver or six months. The funding comes on the heels of chief minister Mamata Banerjee's recent visit to the Hills. According to Darjeeling Municipal chairman Amar Singh Rai, it will help solve Darjeeling's water problem.
"The Centre has still not given a nod to sanction the fund for Rs 156 crore for the overall distribution of water in Darjeeling, but in the meantime Rs 7 crore 7 lakhs has been sanctioned from the state’s fund to resolve the ongoing water crisis in the Hills to some extent caused due to the old piping laid during the British period," Mr Rai said.
On 29 February, the chief minister in Darjeeling said she had spoken with the Centre about sanctioning Rs 156 crore for Darjeeling water distribution and Rs 103 crore for Kalimpong to set up a new drinking water system.
Public Health Engineering department officials had earlier maintained that the system for pumping water from Balasun to Sinchel would likely be complete by March. After visiting the spot, though, district officials concluded that, "The intake process is completed but the intermediate process of uplifting the water up to Sinchel Lake is likely to take another five-six months." sns
In this new set-up, the water will be drawn from Sinchel Lake and held in the new tanks on the outskirts of Darjeeling. Although the distribution project is in the cards for Darjeeling, the system for pumping the water from the Balasun river up to Sinchel Lake is likely to take at least another fiver or six months. The funding comes on the heels of chief minister Mamata Banerjee's recent visit to the Hills. According to Darjeeling Municipal chairman Amar Singh Rai, it will help solve Darjeeling's water problem.
"The Centre has still not given a nod to sanction the fund for Rs 156 crore for the overall distribution of water in Darjeeling, but in the meantime Rs 7 crore 7 lakhs has been sanctioned from the state’s fund to resolve the ongoing water crisis in the Hills to some extent caused due to the old piping laid during the British period," Mr Rai said.
On 29 February, the chief minister in Darjeeling said she had spoken with the Centre about sanctioning Rs 156 crore for Darjeeling water distribution and Rs 103 crore for Kalimpong to set up a new drinking water system.
Public Health Engineering department officials had earlier maintained that the system for pumping water from Balasun to Sinchel would likely be complete by March. After visiting the spot, though, district officials concluded that, "The intake process is completed but the intermediate process of uplifting the water up to Sinchel Lake is likely to take another five-six months." sns
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