Statesman News Service
MALDA, April 1: An arsenic-free drinking water supply has been disrupted in English Bazaar and Kaliachak II block areas over the last three days.
The executive engineer of PHE (arsenic division) Mr Swapan Maitra said that the department could not supply water to many reservoirs because vandals had damaged the main pipe lines connected with sources at several points.
Having failed to curb the menace, the executive engineer Mr Swapan Maitra today lodged complaints with the respective police stations and urged them to take the necessary action against the perpetrators.
According to Mr Maitra, several individuals cut the distribution pipe lines from the source to the reservoir several days ago. "We repaired the damaged points yesterday, but criminals cut the pipeline again last night at Gita More and Kamad between the Amriti in English Bazaar and Sadipur in Kaliachak II block areas.
“The flow of water has gone down because of damage to the pipe-line and we are finding it difficult to store water in the overhead reservoirs at Sadipur, Jote-Gopal and Mothabari, the headquarters of Kaliachak II block,” said Mr Maitra.
After inspecting the site he said: “We could not identify the culprits, but their objective was to illegally obtain excess water for other purposes such as cattle bathing and irrigation for crop lands.”
According to PHE inspection officials, the criminals have uprooted distribution pipelines for common people at Niamatpur in English Bazaar.
Local villagers chased the culprits last night after they already uprooted three pipes, who fled the area. The PHE officials recovered the stolen pipe lines and lodged complaints with the police today.
The PHE has started restoration work and sought police help to store arsenic-free drinking water.
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