Environment development project spells trouble for residents

The procedure of drainage and sewerage upgradation work, carried out by the KEIP, has triggered several damages in the main water supply lines resulting in the contamination of water supplied to the city.

While carrying out underground drainage and sewerage work, the KEIP is supposed to either ask the KMC for the drinking water pipeline network map or conduct a local survey to track down the location of the network. The KEIP, however, did not opt for any of the options.

8220;KEIP never consulted the water supply department before carrying out the drainage and sewerage work. Although, we do not have the map of the water supply network of the entire city, we could have provided them with draft maps of the wards. But they never asked for that. They were asked to do a survey by the KMC while carrying out the project, but even that was not done properly by them,8221; said Mrinal Kanti Mondal, Member Mayor in Council, water supply.

While carrying out the project in Behala, ward 128, leakages at 10 places on the AK Paul Road have been found by the KMC water supply department. Since the leakages occurred after the KEIP workers finished their work and moved out of the area, it took three months for KMC workers to detect the leakages.

In another case, a leak was found after 12 days of the work in Jadavpur area, ward 101. The leakage caused water contamination in the area, which is now witnessing large-scale enteric outbreak.

8220;Detecting seepage in underground water supply line is the most difficult work and it incurs a huge cost as well. The KEIP can minimise the risks of affecting the water supply lines by taking some precautions,8221; said Kushal Das, deputy civil engineer, water supply department of the KMC.

Sometimes, the land 8212; where the underground drainage work has been carried out 8212; caves in after the work gets over. According to a civic engineer of the water supply department, it can be prevented if the span of the compaction is well organised after the work is over. If the span of the compaction on the retaining wall is small then the risk of damaging the water supply lines gets minimised, he added.

The KEIP workers, however, either leave the retaining wall unguarded or do the compaction part in an unorganised way resulting in collapse of the upper layer of soil. And when the upper layer collapses, the fragile joints of the water supply lines break and the outflow starts.

Till date the KEIP8217;s work has caused leakages in the water supply lines at several places including Phoolbagan, Jadavpur, ward 101, on S C Mallik Road, in Bansdroni ward 112, ward 113, ward 120, Gardenreach ward 138.

The KEIP officials, however, denied the allegations. 8220;We always conduct a local survey by digging trial trench with a gap of 50-100 meters. Sometimes some water-supply lines get affected, but we always try to help the KMC in restoring the pipelines. Since we have to work in several diverse situations, it happens,8221; said a senior KEIP official.