Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has shown concern regarding the drinking water shortage in Siliguri and has directed the public health engineering department and administration to work with the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) in order to resolve the issue of safe drinking water scarcity in Siliguri town.

According to SMC mayor Goutam Deb, chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concern about the current state of affairs.

“I have had multiple conversations with the CM, during which she expressed her worries and urged top officials to provide all necessary aid to address the present situation,” mayor Deb said.

“On the evening of 2 June, we will have the situation under control. The distribution of safe drinking water through pipes will resume as usual in the morning of 3 June ,” said the mayor.

Meanwhile, the ongoing war of words between mayor Goutam Deb and former mayor Asok Bhattacharya shows no signs of stopping. Today, BJP supporters protested in front of the SMC over the distribution of contaminated water to the public.

“The Siliguri people, who have been fully supporting the SMC’s efforts to provide drinking water through water tanks in all 47 wards, are being deceived by a coalition of the CPM, Congress, and BJP political parties,” Mr Deb said.

Mr Ashok Bhattacharya, who was a minister for 20 years, a mayor for six years, and a chairman for three years, was unable to come up with alternate arrangements to solve today’s problems. As a result of his failure, people are suffering in this situation, Mr Deb added.

“The sin committed by Mr Deb of supplying unsafe water will have to be carried by him alone,” Mr Bhattacharya said.

“It has been three days since the incident, and I have been bombarded with numerous grievances from the public. They have raised concerns about insufficient access to potable water, subpar quality of the water being provided, and unequal distribution, favouring regions that have supported TMC in previous elections. This behaviour cannot be tolerated,” said the BJP national spokesperson Raju Bista, the Darjeeling MP candidate.

Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh made accusations against the SMC, claiming that they were guilty of providing contaminated water without proper testing of the treated water sourced from Mahananda river. Another concern raised was that the SMC had begun distributing water in pouches without any manufacturing dates, and in unhygienic conditions.