Water scarcity still a familiar situation in the hills

We do not have magic hands, have patience says GTA

Jitendra Sharma

Kurseong March 13: A pulling cart van loaded with jerking’s filled up with water still is a familiar seen in the Darjeeling hills. So are the pick van carrying tanks of water running from pillar to post supplying water to the residents. Above all, residents in town areas mostly continues to make a beeline with the buckets to get their turn for fetching drinking water since as early as 4 am.

Even after six months of the formation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) the most erratic problem of the Darjeeling hills vis-à-vis the drinking water crises that has been plaguing the hills since decades remains unsolved. When would the problem
be solved? The question remains unanswered but voices continue to speak.

“The problem is not just for Darjeeling. The entire hills have been facing drinking water crises. We have heard of announcements that the water problem in the hills will be solved. The words are into our ears but in reality the effort seems ruthless from the authorities,” said Gautam Lama, a resident of Darjeeling.

“A drinking water project in the form of Balasun Water Project was started the foundation stone for which was leader by former chief minister of the state. Unfortunately even after years have passed and political change in the state the work remains incomplete. No one knows when the works will be finished and the people of Darjeeling will get water,” added Lama.

In the hills that are currently in a boil of political turmoil, people had been expecting that atleast the drinking water problem would be solved if not all after the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

“It is Ofcourse ridiculous to see the water crises still persisting the hills. We have heard the concerned department is laying new pipes for solving the problem. To my surprise what are the new pipes for at a time when the sources have dried up. This is a foolish way to solve the problem,” says Bhusan Chettri, a resident in Kurseong.

Asked for his comment, Anit Thapa the GTA executive in charge of the PHE department said that his department is doing the level best to solve the problem. “A Swedish project is in the pipeline and so on. The GTA is just six months old and people should have patients. The GTA does not have magic hands so that it can solve the problem is a day or two,” he said.