The drinking water crisis deepened in Siliguri on Thursday as thousands of residents walked up to water kiosks to collect water or bought plastic canisters from private water suppliers.

The city also witnessed protests by political parties and social organisations as they raised questions over the local civic body’s decision to draw water from Mahananda, considered one of the polluted rivers of the state.

On Wednesday, Gautam Deb, the mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), announced that the drinking water supplied by the civic body from its treatment plant located at Fulbari in the southern outskirts of Siliguri was not fit for drinking.

The water, he said, contains high BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) which hints it is polluted.

On Thursday afternoon, the Darjeeling district CPM took out a protest march against the Trinamool-run board of SMC. Hundreds of Left supporters, led by Left councillors and party leaders, reached the main entrance of the civic body. A group of SUCI supporters had also reached there and demonstrated against the civic board.

Around 1pm, the CPM supporters launched a sit-in demonstration at the entrance and shouted slogans demanding the mayor’s resignation.

They also stopped the vehicles of mayor Deb and deputy mayor Ranjan Sarkar while the duo were out on a visit to different municipal wards to check the distribution of water. The SMC has engaged water tankers and is distributing water pouches to handle the crisis.

There was commotion as the CPM supporters denied giving space to them. Eventually, they were safely escorted from the spot by police.

“The failure to distribute drinking water to the residents of Siliguri is a punishable offence. The mayor should resign,” said Asok Bhattacharya, a former mayor and a veteran CPM leader who joined the agitation.

Deb reacted to CPM’s protest. "When all of us are working hard to resolve the water crisis, some people created a nuisance in front of the SMC. Necessary steps will be taken against them,” he said.

Dulal Datta, the member, mayor-in-council (water supply) at SMC, said they are in touch with the state PHE and irrigation department.

“Once the irrigation department finishes its repair in the Teesta river bank, water supply through the Teesta canal will regularise,” said Datta.

Most residents, standing in queues for water, alleged that water tankers and water pouches were too little for comfort. Those who could afford it bought packaged drinking water.