The Times of India 06.01.2010
Civic body charts grand canal-cleaning project
KOLKATA: The civic body is finally taking up the job of cleaning the city’s canals so that water from the Hooghly can be flown into Rajarhat through these and supplied as drinking water after treatment.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will start work to divert all sewer lines that fall into the canals, starting from the Chitpore lock gate to EM Bypass. KMC, along with Hidco and KMDA, is embarking on this major project. Work is expected to be completed by May or June.
A meeting was recently held by officials of the KMC, the irrigation department, the KMDA and Hidco to discuss the project. “The sewer lines that fall into the canals will have to be diverted. Hidco will pay around Rs 3 crore for the project. Work will start soon and is expected to be completed by mid-2010.” said Hidco technical adviser Sadhan Biswas.
Hidco has been working on plans to flow in water from the Hooghly through this stretch of canals. The water would be purified at a treatment plant in New Town before being supplied to residents for drinking purposes.
Earlier, Hidco had provided Bidhannagar Municipality with Rs 2 crore to work on diverting the sewer lines that fall into Kestopur canal. Though the civic body has diverted the major part of the sewer lines, some work is still left. It would take at least another year, if not more, to flow in the river water again once all the sewer lines are diverted.
The objective to divert the sewer lines is not only to keep the canals clean, but also free them of the pressure of excess water. During monsoons, the water level rises and often leads to waterlogging. “We are also expecting to re-launch the ferry service once the river water starts flowing in,” said a Hidco official.
Government agencies had earlier conducted desilting and dredging work in Kestopur and Beliaghata canals but after a few months, they were again full of hyacinths and filthy water. Now, a Rs 40-crore plan has been finalised to dredge the 8-km-long stretch of Beliaghata canal, say officials.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will start work to divert all sewer lines that fall into the canals, starting from the Chitpore lock gate to EM Bypass. KMC, along with Hidco and KMDA, is embarking on this major project. Work is expected to be completed by May or June.
A meeting was recently held by officials of the KMC, the irrigation department, the KMDA and Hidco to discuss the project. “The sewer lines that fall into the canals will have to be diverted. Hidco will pay around Rs 3 crore for the project. Work will start soon and is expected to be completed by mid-2010.” said Hidco technical adviser Sadhan Biswas.
Hidco has been working on plans to flow in water from the Hooghly through this stretch of canals. The water would be purified at a treatment plant in New Town before being supplied to residents for drinking purposes.
Earlier, Hidco had provided Bidhannagar Municipality with Rs 2 crore to work on diverting the sewer lines that fall into Kestopur canal. Though the civic body has diverted the major part of the sewer lines, some work is still left. It would take at least another year, if not more, to flow in the river water again once all the sewer lines are diverted.
The objective to divert the sewer lines is not only to keep the canals clean, but also free them of the pressure of excess water. During monsoons, the water level rises and often leads to waterlogging. “We are also expecting to re-launch the ferry service once the river water starts flowing in,” said a Hidco official.
Government agencies had earlier conducted desilting and dredging work in Kestopur and Beliaghata canals but after a few months, they were again full of hyacinths and filthy water. Now, a Rs 40-crore plan has been finalised to dredge the 8-km-long stretch of Beliaghata canal, say officials.
