Darjeeling: The Bengal government today said the GTA Sabha couldn’t take up micro projects for drinking water supply and irrigation in the Darjeeling hills because of the statehood movement and there could be a freeze on the release of Rs 50 crore to extend the schemes.
Water resources minister Soumen Mahapatra said Rs 10 crore had already been released by the government to execute the projects, but not a single penny had been spent by the GTA.
“The government couldn’t implement drinking water and micro irrigation projects in the hills through the GTA because of the consistent movement for Gorkhaland. Earlier, Rs 10 crore had been sanctioned to the GTA from the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund to take up these schemes under the Jal Dharo, Jal Bharo or water harvesting project of the government. The funds are still lying unutilised with the GTA,” the minister said in Jalpaiguri today after holding a meeting with the officials of his department.
“The state had obtained Rs 50 crore from the World Bank to extend the projects and the funds were supposed to be released to the GTA. As the earlier sum is yet to be spent and there is nothing to suggest that the GTA will start functioning normally, the state is giving a second thought to the release of Rs 50 crore.”
He said it was the mission of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the drinking water problems faced by lakhs of people across the hills. The minister said the plan was to collect water from streams and store them in reservoirs.
“Immediately after the formation of the GTA, Rs 10 crore was sent to the GTA. The money was to be used to collect water trickling down the streams in all three subdivisions in the hills and store them in small reservoirs. The people would use the collected water for drinking and irrigation purposes later. Rs 50 crore is to extend the projects to more areas by harvesting rain water. The plan to harvest water from rains and streams was taken up as it is not feasible to dig ponds in the hills because of its topography,” said Mahapatra.
Without naming the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha that rules the GTA, Mahapatra said: “The GTA is not functioning properly and projects are being stalled because of the agitation by the largest political party in the hills. It is unfortunate that instead of working for the people and redressing their problems, the party is keen on inconveniencing the public.”
The Morcha denied the charge that the water projects were stalled by the movement.
“The allegations levelled by the minister are baseless. The entire project might not have been completed. But some work to address the drinking water problems in the hills have been taken up,” said Pradip Pradhan, the GTA chairman and vice-chairman of the Morcha.
“The government couldn’t implement drinking water and micro irrigation projects in the hills through the GTA because of the consistent movement for Gorkhaland. Earlier, Rs 10 crore had been sanctioned to the GTA from the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund to take up these schemes under the Jal Dharo, Jal Bharo or water harvesting project of the government. The funds are still lying unutilised with the GTA,” the minister said in Jalpaiguri today after holding a meeting with the officials of his department.
“The state had obtained Rs 50 crore from the World Bank to extend the projects and the funds were supposed to be released to the GTA. As the earlier sum is yet to be spent and there is nothing to suggest that the GTA will start functioning normally, the state is giving a second thought to the release of Rs 50 crore.”
He said it was the mission of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the drinking water problems faced by lakhs of people across the hills. The minister said the plan was to collect water from streams and store them in reservoirs.
“Immediately after the formation of the GTA, Rs 10 crore was sent to the GTA. The money was to be used to collect water trickling down the streams in all three subdivisions in the hills and store them in small reservoirs. The people would use the collected water for drinking and irrigation purposes later. Rs 50 crore is to extend the projects to more areas by harvesting rain water. The plan to harvest water from rains and streams was taken up as it is not feasible to dig ponds in the hills because of its topography,” said Mahapatra.
Without naming the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha that rules the GTA, Mahapatra said: “The GTA is not functioning properly and projects are being stalled because of the agitation by the largest political party in the hills. It is unfortunate that instead of working for the people and redressing their problems, the party is keen on inconveniencing the public.”
The Morcha denied the charge that the water projects were stalled by the movement.
“The allegations levelled by the minister are baseless. The entire project might not have been completed. But some work to address the drinking water problems in the hills have been taken up,” said Pradip Pradhan, the GTA chairman and vice-chairman of the Morcha.
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