Siliguri: Post the Sikkim flash floods, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) had faced herculean challenges supplying water in May 2024. SMC has now announced a series of urgent measures, including the formation of an expert committee, to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply during the rainy season hence.
The expert committee will comprise officials from Jadavpur University, the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), Irrigation department, Public Health Engineering department and SMC. The officials will work on planning and technology with the aim of preventing water supply disruption owing to the huge quantity of silt accumulating in the Teesta River owing to heavy rainfall in Sikkim.
At a Press conference held on Monday at SMC office, Mayor Gautam Deb outlined a comprehensive plan to address the issue after a meeting with the officials. A part of this strategy involves the construction of a new storage reservoir at Gajoldoba, where the turbid waters of the Teesta River will be collected and allowed to settle for 48 hours before purification and distribution.
“The flash floods in Sikkim had led to an accumulation of silt in our pipelines, disrupting the flow of water to Siliguri. We are taking steps to ensure this does not cause future crisis,” Mayor Deb said.
“We are preparing ourselves for the monsoon and any future contingencies. With the expert committee’s input, we aim to modernise our water management system,” he further added.
Renovation work has also begun on the old water reservoir at Fulbari, which had fallen into disuse due to silt blockage.
Originally constructed during the Left regime, the reservoir had not undergone any significant maintenance until now.
The Irrigation department has allocated Rs 8 crore for desilting operations, aiming to restore its functionality.
Additionally, deep tubewells have been installed in wards 5, 27 and 33. Plans are underway to install more tube wells with an investment of Rs 8 crore to secure additional sources of potable water. A total of 8 deep tubewells will be installed in the city.