Siliguri, 21st July: Amidst the pressing crisis of drinking water in the city, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) staged a protest by gheraoing the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) premises on Friday. The protest aimed to demand urgent action to resolve the city’s drinking water issues.
During the demonstration, the CPI (M) of Darjeeling District accused the Mayor and councillors of neglecting their responsibilities by attending a public program in Kolkata while the city is facing severe drinking water problems. Prominent figures present at the protest included former SMC Mayor Ashok Bhattacharya, CPI (M)’s Darjeeling District Secretary Saman Pathak, alongside other party members and supporters.
The party leaders expressed their discontent with the current SMC board, holding them responsible for failing to address the pressing issue of drinking water faced by the city’s residents. They insisted that the SMC take immediate action to provide adequate drinking water to the people. Failure to do so could lead to more extensive protests and agitations in the future, as warned by the party representatives.