The Union external affairs minister Mr
Pran-ab Mukherjee today inaugurated the Algarah Open Ground
Water Reservoir at Algarah, 16 km from Kalimpong today. “Water
supply is one six main agendas taken up by the government.
I appreciate the work that has been done as it will solve
the water crisis in the region,” the minister said.
The reservoir comes under the Neorakhola Water Supply Scheme
and was initiated in 1989-90 before work was stalled due to
technical reasons. However, with the help of an expert committee
its construction commenced in 2005 and was finally completed
in December 2007. Neorakhola and the Dhaulakhola are the two
sources of the reservoir which has a capacity of 13.44 million
gallons.
The project, which is a joint venture of the state government
and the Army, is designed to supply water to the Kalimpong
municipal town, Army establishments and the en-route village.
Initially an amount of Rs 22 crore had been sanctioned for
the project which was revised to 31 crore in 1990.
While complimenting the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department
for completing a complicated project because of the difficult
terrain, the Union minister emphasised the need to sustain
such projects. “It is one thing to complete the project
but sustaining for the future is more important,” he
said.
Mr Mukherjee further added that priority is given to water,
food and energy security by international bodies. “Emphasis
should be given to obtaining pure portable water more than
the ground water resources,” he said.
The Housing and PHE department of the state government is
expected to take up similar projects in the 3.2 km Algarah
to Lava and areas in Pedong.
The minister also assured to consider the issue of re-opening
the Jelep-la pass with Tibet, at the urgings of the Darjeeling
MP Mr Dawa Narbula. “I am aware of the economic and
commercial benefits that Kalimpong will receive if the pass
is opened, so I will definitely take up the issue,”
he said. The Jelep-la pass used to be a part of the historic
silk route between China and India prior to its closure during
the Indo-Chinese war in 1962.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Gorkha Bhutpurva Sainik Morcha submitted
a memorandum to Mr Mukherjee requesting him for a fair trial
on the inquiry of the one-man commission on the 9 April incident
in Siliguri.
“Following the assault on us on 9 April, the ex-Armymen
are completely demoralised. We have requested the minister
to review the matter seriously,” said retd. Col. Ramesh
Allay, president of the association.
Courtesy: The Statesman |
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