Jalpaiguri: The West Bengal Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department has initiated a project to address pollution in the Karala River, which flows through Jalpaiguri municipality area.
A meeting was convened on Tuesday in the municipality’s conference room to discuss plans for channeling the city’s sewage into a proposed sewage treatment plant, aiming to keep the river’s waters clean.
The Karala River, often referred to as the “lungs of Jalpaiguri”, is cherished by locals, with some comparing it to London’s Thames River. However, pollution has become a pressing issue. Sewage from 48 drains, along with garbage from areas such as Din Bazar market, flows directly into the river, severely degrading its ecosystem. Concerns have been raised by environmentalists and citizens, leading to the Central Pollution Control Board designating the Karala as one of Bengal’s 17 most polluted rivers.
In response, both state and Central governments have launched initiatives to restore the river. On Tuesday, the Municipal Engineering department organised a meeting attended by Chairperson Papiya Pal, vice-chairman Saikat Chatterjee, Irrigation department Executive Engineer Debabrata Dutta and representatives of the Pollution Control Board. Chittaranjan Barman, Chief Engineer of North Bengal’s Municipal Engineering department, announced plans to construct a sewage treatment plant. “The 48 drains currently discharging waste into the Karala River will be consolidated into two or three major channels. These will be treated before being released into the river,” he said. The project is expected to take two years to complete.
Chairperson Papiya Pal emphasised the importance of the initiative, stating: “This project aims to ensure no polluted water flows into the Karala River. Land acquisition for the sewage treatment plant is underway.” River expert Jatiswar Bharati highlighted the need for additional measures, noting: “The river’s current condition demands dredging to increase its depth and water flow. This, along with preventing garbage dumping, will significantly reduce pollution.”