Water crisis hits Malda as dry spell continues

MALDA, April 29: The receding water level in Malda district has started affecting hand pumps and tube wells in the Barind belt of the district, said a public health engineering (PHE) official today. The district is facing water crisis due to a dry spell continuing over a fortnight. “Though we continue to supply water through collection of surface water, getting water from hand pumps and tube wells is becoming increasingly difficult due to the abnormal drop in water level,” said Mr AK Das, executive engineer, PHE, arsenic division.According to him, the water level usually goes down at Habibpur, Bamongola and Gazole areas in the district due to excessive usage of water for irrigation.“The flow of water from tube wells has diminished thereby making it necessary to increase the time limit for lifting water to run the drinking water schemes through the pipe lines,” the PHE official, said. The PHE officials today informed their district headquarters about the situation of drinking water supply in the area.It was decided that the PHE officials would select the defunct tube wells and would place them in areas with higher water level.The district administration is conducting a survey to estimate the availability of drinking water sources in the nearby areas of polling stations before conducting the rural polls scheduled on 18 May in the district. The defunct tube wells will also be repaired to ensure that the polling personnel and the local people do not face any water crisis during polls. n sns