PHE passes water project

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 1 OCT.: The Public Health Engineering (PHE) department has finally approved two projects for supplying arsenic free drinking water in the left out villages of Kaliachak block areas. The executive engineer of the PHE (arsenic division in southern sector), Mr D Banerjee said that the top officials of the department have approved the two schemes on 17 September and forwarded them to the finance department for allotment of funds. The PHE officials in Malda had proposed two schemes in February 2009 for supplying arsenic-free water to Khikirbona village and Trimohini village near Uttar Lakshmipur. The estimated cost of the water project in Khikirbona village was Rs 1.33 crore and Rs 40 lakh was the estimated cost for Trimohini village. It may be noted that hundreds of villagers, backed by the CPI-M leaders including the MLA and panchayat office bearers, from Khikirbona village agitated twice infront of the PHE office demanding water supply. They also demanded a health camp for the treatment of villagers who had been affected after consuming arsenic contaminated water at Khikirbona village. The PHE executive engineer Mr Banerjee said that we would start the tendering process which would be floated soon. “We have targetted to finish the work within 60 days from the date the work order is issued,” Mr Banerjee said.For Khikirbona village drinking water will be collected from Jadupur and for Trimohini village waters will be supplied from an over head reservoir located at Uttar Lakshmipur village. In the southern sector arsenic-free water is being supplied from Dariapur treatment plant based on waters from the Ganga. Besides, the PHE has chalked out seven water project for English Bazaar and four for Manikchak block.