The Bengal government’s urban development and municipal affairs (UDMA) Department has decided to launch a comprehensive cleanliness and waste management drive covering the hill towns of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, and Mirik.
Agnimitra Paul, the state UDMA minister, during her two-day visit to the hills, said that the government was committed to restoring cleanliness in the hill towns by July 1 through the phased implementation of strict waste management measures beginning next month.
“From September 1, we will ban any open disposal of waste on streets across the state. But considering the huge number of tourist inflows, it has been decided to implement rules at the hill stations from July 1,” Paul told journalists in Darjeeling on Sunday evening.
“Apart from that, garbage will be collected from every household, hotels, eateries and commercial establishments. Each establishment will get a ‘QR code’ for the attendance of the ‘Nirmal Bandhu (waste collector)'. The owners of the hotels and the residents will segregate dry and wet waste. After one week, if anybody is found violating the rule, a penalty will be enforced,” she added.
The hill towns, especially Darjeeling, which is also known as the “Queen of Hills”, are grappling with mounting civic concerns amid an overwhelming influx of tourists.
Open littering, clogged drains, rain-soaked filthy roads, and indiscriminate waste disposal have significantly tarnished the image of the world-famous hill destination.
Following a meeting with civic representatives and district administration officials, Paul said scientific water disposal plants would be set up within six months.
The department will also deploy 20 covered waste collection vehicles, while sweeping operations in major commercial and tourist zones will be conducted twice daily to prevent garbage accumulation.
On Monday, the minister inspected the ongoing renovation work of the North and South Sinchel Lakes under the Centre’s Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 scheme.
Situated at an altitude of nearly 2,500 metres above sea level, the reservoirs — constructed in 1910 and 1932, respectively — serve as the principal source of drinking water for Darjeeling town.
Despite their significance, the lakes had remained neglected for decades. The Centre has recently sanctioned ₹60 crore for their restoration.
In Darjeeling, water supply has always been a cause of concern for residents as well as those running hotels and other commercial establishments. Most of them buy water supplied through water tankers. Recently, the tanker owners had said they would revise the charges for the distribution of water in and around the town because of a hike in petroleum prices.
Raju Bista, the BJP MP of Darjeeling, who accompanied the minister during the inspection, said the renovation of the lakes had finally begun after years of neglect.
“The completion of the restoration will ensure a reliable, clean, and adequate drinking water supply for Darjeeling,” Bista said.
Later in the day, Paul visited Mirik and inspected the Sumendu Lake area. Officials of the state public health engineering (PHE) department briefed her on the ongoing ₹170-crore drinking water project being implemented under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme.
Referring to the severe landslides that affected Mirik last year, Agnimitra said the state government was giving equal importance to the development and environmental sustainability of the tourist destination.
“Two additional sewerage treatment plants (STPs) would be installed to improve the condition of the lake,” she said.
Sources have said that every day, nearly 1,050 of 2,800 households in Mirik discharge untreated sewage directly into water channels connected to the Sumendu Lake, contributing significantly to pollution concerns.
A political veteran said that in recent years, this is the first time that a state minister has extensively visited the hills. “We hope her visit will expedite completion of the ongoing drinking water supply schemes in the hill towns,” he said.
Gorkhaland slogan
In Mirik, Agnimitra was welcomed on Monday by the supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha with loud slogans of “we want Gorkhaland”.
Led by Bimal Gurung, the Morcha is an ally of the BJP in the hills.
The minister, however, did not react to the sloganeering. While the Morcha supporters went on shouting slogans wielding party flags, BJP supporters were heard shouting “Jai Shri Ram”.