Mukesh Sharma

Kalimpong, May 30th

Once again drinking water scarcity has struck Kalimpong town. The distribution system not met by the PHE department has troubled the locals at the most. At present the price of water has gone high that the people having the money has not been able to purchase it.Due to the scarcity of the water in the town, the concerned department has been distributing drinking water twice a week. Today CPIM leader Tara Sundas raising the issue have said that the scarcity is not natural but artificial.

The distribution of water in Kalimpong is done by PHE and Water works which comes under GTA meanwhile Neura is handled by State Government.

The public health engineering (water works) department of the GTA that distributes drinking water to the town has been forced to regulate the supply as the streams are drying up because of inadequate winter rain and the summer .

Some Kalimpong residents draw water from the natural springs, while most buy water from the markets.

A 1,000 litre of water in Kalimpong costs anything between Rs 300 and 400 depending on the distance of a house from the source like small streams or jhoras.

In the absence of water supply for two days, most residents arranged for drinking water from the natural springs in the neighborhood.

The others bought it from the market.

Neura and PHE plays a blame game in between them but it is the people who are the suffers.

Neura few days ago clarified that the full responsibility of supplying water is done by Neura only. He informed that PHE Water source at Relli and Thukchuk is not supplying water from last many years so the burden has fallen totally upon our shoulder.

Sundas told today that Why is water not bought from  Relli and Thukchuk despite water is abundant there.He told that the source need to re implement as it will reduce water problem.he questioned the construction of the water tanks which almost remains empty through the year. He alleged that the rich people in the town are felicitated with more waters and the poor have been neglected. The water pipes have been punctured as a result it has only been reaching the wealthy houses which have to be stopped immediately said Sundas. Sundas informed the officials to be alert as the poor are being affected at the most

People has also raised question as the supply of water was done in every alternate days  on April month till 14 but on 16 and 17 the election days supply was done regularly, but soon the election was over the supply was done on 20th which created a stir and now the supply is done twice a week only.

When the official were contacted the phone was out of range