123 Kolkata: In response to CM Mamata Banerjee raising issues in the state's drinking water supply, the public health engineering (PHE) department has filed 467 FIRs on illegal water usage following the receipt of over 20,000 complaints.
HED minister Pulak Roy on Wednesday apprised the assembly of the figures and also shared two dedicated helpline numbers for lodging complaints: 8902052222 and 8902066666.
The crackdown follows CM Banerjee's meeting with PHED officials earlier this week, where she expressed frustration over lapses in addressing issues. Accusations of negligence were levelled against contractors and engineers, with legal action initiated in several cases.
Banerjee also said non-cooperation by central govt departments left nearly 50 lakh people in Bengal without access to clean drinking water. She particularly criticised Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), accusing it of releasing floodwater without meeting drinking water needs.
The CM assured the public that efforts were underway to provide piped drinking water to every household. With 90% installations completed, the state aims to connect all 1.8 crore households to the supply network by April 2025. However, concerns remain about illegal pipeline cuts and lapses by contractors.
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