Drinking water blue in Siliguri over report of contamination

EOI, SILIGURI, MAY 29, 2024 : Mayor of Siliguri Gautam Deb has announced a temporary prohibition on the supply of drinking water supply in the municipal areas from May 29 to the afternoon of June 2due to contamination of water. 

While water would continue to be supplied daily in municipal areas, city residents have been strongly advised against consuming it. 

Except using it as drinking water, the supplied water remains suitable for use in other purposes. Reports indicate that a decrease in Biochemical Oxygen Demand has led to contamination of the drinking water supply. 

On Wednesday, Mayor Gautam Deb addressed the issue at a news conference held in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) and stated that water samples had been dispatched to Kolkata for testing, and the results were expected to be available in five days. 

Meanwhile, the water should not be consumed until the reports arrive. 

To address the issue,the SMC has arranged for alternative sources of drinking water, including the distribution of 100,000 water pouches. 

Additionally,15,000 to 20,000 pouches would be distributed in each of the five boroughs, and drinking water tankers would be dispatched to every ward. 

Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh criticized Mayor Gautam Deb, alleging a failure in municipal governance. 

He pointed out that residents had already been consuming contaminated water for the past 15 to 16 days and held the Mayor and the Municipal Council accountable for the situation. 

Students participate art competition on the occasion of 164th Birth anniversary of Kobi Guru Rabindranath Tagore organised by MLA Prithiraj Rabha at Tezpur—— UB Photos