Arsenic free water for Kahala people soon

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Dec. 6: The Malda Public Health Engineering (PHE’s) arsenic division has planned to supply arsenic free treated water for drinking to the people of Kahala in Ratua after 15 January. Nearly Rs 23 crore was allotted for the construction of the plant at Kahala and its foundation stone was laid on 15 January 2006. Recently chief engineer of this department had visited the area to report the PHE minister Mr Goutam Deb to fix a date for its official inauguration. The chief engineer instructed the executive engineer to finish the work as soon as possible so that it can start trial run before 15 January. The executive engineer Mr A K Das is hopeful that he would be able to start trial run within the deadline.The department has set up a treatment plant of surface water collecting from the river Fulohar. At least 50,000 people will be benefited from this project at Kahala in Ratua, the departmental engineers claimed.It may be noted that the local Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and minister for environment and state parliamentary affairs minister Mr Sailen Sarkar took initiative to set up an arsenic free water supply plant when the under ground water of that areas were identified as arsenic afflicted. In Malda, the Public health Engineering (PHE), arsenic division had taken up the same project at Mahadipur near Gour in English Bazaar, which is in progress to supply arsenic free water. At least seven blocks in Malda district have been identified as arsenic prone. The state Public health Engineering (PHE) spending more than Rs 125 crore had set two other big plants a few years ago at Dariapur in Kaliachak III and at Mathurapur in Manikchak with the help of the Central government’s financial assistance.