KMC does desilting drive

BY A STAFF REPORTER: To save the 200-year-old traditional heritage Pareshnath Jain temple in Belgachhia from flooding, a special desilting campaign has been started by the Kolkata Municipal Sewerage and Drainage Department around the temple. This may provide some relief to the residents of Belgachia from waterlogging. Hon'ble Prime Minister herself visited this temple on 5th September last year for a function and then the temple authorities informed her about this problem. The chief minister gave the responsibility to the Mayor to solve this problem. The mayor directed the Municipal drainage department officials to look into the matter. If necessary, they have thought of constructing a drainage pumping station, the estimated cost of which is around 40 crore rupees. Later, under the direction of MMIC Tarak Singh , the engineers of the Municipal Drainage Department conducted a survey and found that the underground sewerage lines had accumulated so much silt that their capacity to carry rainwater was completely reduced. After the survey report was submitted, the municipality decided to start desilting very quickly. The official said that two manhole desilting machines, 7 bucket machines and jetting machines and blow-vac machines are being used for this process. Currently, they are clearing silt from three sewer lines connected to the temple. And it will take about 15 more days to complete this work. This temple is about one and a half feet below the road and therefore their own drainage system is also being built inside the temple. It is expected that after the completion of the desilting work, the problem of water accumulation in Belgachhia Basti and the area adjacent to the temple will be reduced a lot and the construction of pumping station may not be needed. It will save the municipality a lot of tax-bearer's money. The silt lifting work is going on in the entire drainage line of one kilometer from the temple to Dattabagan Pumping Station.