RAJSHAHI, June 6, 2020 (BSS)- As part of its present efforts to face the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) has installed 111 new tubewells and repaired 1,516 others in Rajshahi division.
“We have also set up 204 hand wash basins and constructed six toilets and 14 bathrooms to contain the virus spreading in all eight districts in the division,” said SM Shamim Ahmed, Superintending Engineer of DPHE, adding chlorination in 330 water purification units were executed.
He also said 12,020 kilograms of bleaching powder, 23,537 soaps, 499 disinfection sprays and 1,010 hand sanitizers were distributed among the community people so that they can protect them from the virus infections.
Engineer Ahmed said the field level DPHE staffs remain active to stem the virus outbreak everywhere in the region.
They have, so far, distributed 2,630 leaflets and banners to create awareness among the public in general about the adverse impact of the virus. Many of the grassroots populations were brought under various motivational and awareness campaigns to fight COVID-19 outbreak.
The village level staff are disseminating ideas among the community people on how to use the protective gears like face masks effectively besides maintaining social and physical distancing.
Besides, the community people are also learning about how to wash hands and follow other health related guidelines to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The field level people are disseminating the messages in all the communities explaining how the coronavirus spreads, how people can protect themselves and their families from its infection and how they can understand symptoms of the disease and seek healthcare.
As a whole, they are disseminating awareness messages on coronavirus among the community people so that they can protect themselves from the invisible enemy, he added.
Meanwhile, the DPHE has been implementing a three project setting target to bring around 1.73 lakh people and the poor and marginalized ones in particular under safe drinking water supply coverage which will make sure to benefit them in many ways including containing Covid-19.
The three-year project titled “Community-based Water Supply in Lower Underground Water-level Areas in Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts” is being implemented in 59 Unions under 12 Upazilas of the three districts with an estimated cost of around Taka 32.19 crore.
Main objective of the project is to ensure supply of safe water for both drinking and other household purposes to the people residing in the project covering areas where acute crisis of drinking water exists.
A total of 865 submersible pumps are being installed in all the project-covering areas to bring 34,600 households under the water supply coverage.
Platform with an overhead tank is being attached to each of the submersible pumps. There will be eight points in each of the tanks. At least five families will get water supply from each of the points through pvc pipelines.
The beneficiary people will be given responsibility for proper maintenance and function of the infrastructures routinely upon completion of the project by around June, 2021.
Engineer Shamim Ahmed said the initiative has been taken to maintain round-the-year drinking water supply to the poor and vulnerable villagers, where power supply is available.
He added that 850 of the pumps will be operated by electricity. Solar panels will be installed to operate 50 other pumps in the villages remaining beyond the power supply network.