Balasun water project work to start after Durga Puja: Subrata

Work for the long awaited Balasun water project in Darjeeling will begin after Durga Puja as the Army has given its consent, West Bengal Public Health Engineering (PHE) minister Subrata Mukherjee said today.

"We have received consent from the Army to use the land for the Balasun project in Darjeeling," Mukherjee said in Siliguri.

The distribution channels have to be prepared. The PHE department has already given Rs 8 crore to the Darjeeling Municipality and work will start after the pujas and we will be able to distribute water to the Darjeeling people soon, the minister told reporters after a meeting with PHE officials and MLAs of Darjeeling , Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar districts.

The foundation stone for the two-stage water pumping project was laid by former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee in Darjeeling in 2006.

But Army had refused to give its nod to the project stalling the work.

At present Darjeeling require about 15- 20 lakh gallon of water everyday but Darjeeling municipality can only supply 7-8 lakh gallon every day.

With the Balasun project the town is expected to have sufficient water .

The minister said work to repair the Neora water plant in Kalimpong will also be started after Durga pujas. The water plant was badly damaged during the earthquake last year.

He also said that Fullbari water treatment plant, near Siliguri would lift water from the river Teesta at Gajaldoba to be supplied not only Silguri but other blocks also. 

Press Trust of India / Darjeeling(WB) October 10, 2012