Kolkata Environment Impact Investment Project's second phase to start soon

The second phase of Kolkata Environment Impact Investment Project (KIIP) will start shortly, state Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim said on Thursday.

While presenting the Budget of the department for 2017-18, he said that the first phase of the work will start in nine packages.

He said to augment supply of drinking water, a 153 km long pipeline would be laid from Wards 1 to 6 of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) in North Kolkata to stop wastage of water.

The department had given stress to stop wastage of drinking water.

The old equipment at Tallah will be replaced. A scheme has been taken to set up a new water reservoir at Palta. Schemes have also been taken to improve the sewerage system in Garden Reach.

Water supply scheme for Joka will also be starting shortly.

Hakim said that steps have already been taken to augment supply of water in the city. Construction of several underground reservoirs is on and they would be completed as per schedule.

It may be mentioned that after coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had urged all the civic bodies to take steps to augment the supply of drinking water.

Hakim said that the schemes have been prepared to improve the solid waste management system. He said that 186 mobile compactors, 18 hook loaders along with 22 stationary compactors have been given to the municipalities so that solid waste management in the municipalities become more scientific.

KMC has chalked out a plan worth Rs 152 crore for integrated solid waste management.

In North 24 Parganas, several municipalities like Baranagar, Dum Dum, North Dum Dum, South Dum Dum have been given 28 battery-operated hydraulic tippers.

Moreover, the department has identified South 24 Parganas, Burdwan and Cooch Behar as the districts where 1,66,450 toilets would be constructed following the model of Municipal Engineering directorate.