2500 new plots at Rajarhat

Before the Durga Puja, the state government will allot 2500 new plots in the new township at Rajarhat, informed Gautam Deb, minister, housing and public health engineering department (PHED).

Till date, plots and flats have been allotted to 45,819 families that would support around 2,29,095 people, he added.

A second phase of land allotment would begin on 25th of this month when 437 new plots would be allotted, some to individual and some to co-operatives.

"Around 65 per cent of the allotments have been done to people in middle and lower-middle income slab . we are only allotting complete plots which has proper sewage, electricity and other necessities", said Deb.

Apart from housing, state government is seriously taking the issue of 'arsenic' in drinking water in several districts of the state.

A 3 day international workshop on arsenic contamination of groundwater and other water quality issues, is set to be organised at Kolkata during second week of february , 2005 by United Nation Children's fund (UNICEF) and Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WBSSCC) with the help of Housing and PHED, government of West Bengal.

Prior to the mega event, central and state government are jointly going to discuss these crucial issue on 14th and 15th October in the city. Dr R P Singh, central minister for rural development and P R Dasmunsi, central minister for water resources are supposed to be present at the meeting.

Immediate need for revival of sub-mission under ' Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM) to mitigate the suffering of arsenic affected areas in the state would be one of the major issued, said Deb.

"The NDA governments sudden decision of discontinuing technology sub-mission and special allocation for arsenic affected people under RGNDWM is most unappreciated and we urge the present government to take up the issue immediately", said the minister.