ZCZC
BSS-04
DRINKING-WATER-SUPPLY (with picture)
Barind drought-hit families happy with safe water supply
RAJSHAHI, June 14, 2018 (BSS)- Pawlina Mormu, 35, wife of Nitai Mormu of
Jamtara village under Godagri upazila in the district, is now happy with the
safe drinking water supply facilities.
“We had to face multifarious problems relating to fetching water for our
five-member family,” said Pawlina while talking to BSS here Wednesday adding
that the problem has now been eradicated.
Bimola Saren, 32, wife of Sukhen Saren, also expressed her happiness over
the water supply system. She is now getting requisite water for her seven-
member family.
A submersible pump has been installed in the locality and water is being
supplied to the households through commissioning pipeline and outlets.
Like Pawlina and Bimola, 1.45 lakh families including 1.02 lakh ethnic
minorities have been brought under safe drinking water source through
commissioning 298 submersible pumps in the high Barind tract.
The pumps along with 97,315 feet pipelines were commissioned with
intervention of ‘Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) project’ being
implemented in 35 UPs and four pourasabhas in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj
districts since 2015.
DASCOH Foundation and Swiss Red Cross are jointly implementing the project
with financial support from Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation-SDC.
The beneficiary people took the responsibility of proper maintenance and
function of the infrastructures routinely. The initiative has been taken to
maintain round-the-year drinking water supply to the poor and vulnerable
villagers, where, power supply is available.
Two solar panels were installed to operate two pumps in the villages remain
beyond power supply network.
Towheed Azim, chairman of Matikata Union Parishad under Godagri Upazila,
said the water-deprived poor and underprivileged communities in the drought-
hit area are getting safe drinking water privileges with the project
intervention.
In the wake of inadequate aquifer recharge, groundwater level is declining
alarmingly in the high Barind tract posing a serious threat to its farming
sector besides living and livelihood condition.
Lifting underground water through deep tube-wells is becoming tougher
during the dry season day by day. Options for surface water are also very
limited. He, however, said that the submersible water supply system has
become a blessing for the drought-affected people.
Akramul Haque, chief executive officer of DASCOH Foundation, said the
scheme intends to supply safe drinking water in those drought-prone areas in
Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj district where acute crisis of drinking water
exists.
Its main objective is to supply round-the-year potable water to all people
in the targeted area.
“We have undertaken another initiative of supplying safe drinking water to
5,400 other drought-hit populations of 1,200 households at Bidirpur village
under Godagari Upazila,” he added.
Installation of a deep tube-well along with an overhead tank is progressing
fast for the purpose.
“We are installing 6,000-meter pipelines for supplying door-to-door water
like urban areas,” he added.
BSS/SPL/AH/AKM/1300hrs