Health dept to supply arsenic-free water

MALDA, July 21: The public health engineering department today agreed to prepare a project to supply arsenic free water in English Bazaar Municipal areas on a large scale from Mathurapur surface water treatment plant located in Manikchak block. Following the instruction of Mr. Asok Bhattacharya, urban development and municipal affairs minister, the district magistrate Mr. C R Das convened a meeting with the English Bazaar civic body officials and the PHE engineers today. It was decided that the PHE would prepare the scheme for over head and under ground reservoir at Maheshmati near Netaji market complex. The Congress led civic body has proposed a plot of land at Mahesmati for the construction of reservoirs there. The PHE will supply drinking water from Mathurapur surface water treatment plant to Mahesmati from where the civic body would distribute arsenic free water for the people. Mr. Asok Bhattacharya had finally ensured that his department would allot funds for the construction of reservoir for this project. According to the civic body officials, the PHE would prepare the scheme as soon as possible and submit it to the district magistrate. The district magistrate would forward the project to the minister for municipal affairs for its approval. It was a long standing demand of the people of the English Bazaar particularly from added areas like wards no 23, 24 and 25 to get arsenic free waters from Mathurapur. n SNS