The survey to lay pipelines for the mega drinking water project of Siliguri started in areas under Baikunthapur forest division on Friday.

Along with representatives of the private agency that will execute the project, officials from the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) and foresters of Baikunthapur forest division are also involved in the survey.

According to the plan for the new project, water will be drawn from the Teesta river in Gajoldoba to the water treatment plant at Fulbari.

“In all, pipes have to be laid for 27km to connect the treatment plant with the Teesta. Of this, around 10km of the pipelines will pass through the Baikunthapur forest area. That is why foresters have been included in the survey. They can suggest stretches in the forest where pipes would be laid,” said a source in the SMC.

The drinking water project has been taken up under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut 2.0) of the Centre, with an estimated cost of Rs 511 crore.

Focus is now on the first phase of the project with an 18-month target.

Under the first phase, Rs 211 crore will be spent to lay the pipelines to draw the water, set up a power substation and build an intake well.

“We have set a target to complete the first phase within 18 months. The survey is likely to end this month so that work begins from December,” said an official.

The water project is vital for the Siliguri civic area as the existing water project, which dates back to the 1990s, is inadequate to meet the growing city’s demand for drinking water.

Presently, 45 to 55 million litres are supplied per day in the city. However, the demand is around 80 million litres per day.

Cannabis plants

Cooch Behar police have destroyed illegal cannabis plantations across 50 bighas in 48 hours. On Friday, cannabis plants across 30 bighas were destroyed at Chandamari under Kotwali police station. On Saturday, a similar drive was taken up in Madhupur under Pundibari police station where another plantation of 20 bighas was destroyed.