RAJSHAHI, July 9, 2018 (BSS)- The Department of Public Health Engineering
(DPHE) has been implementing 14 water supply and sanitation related schemes
involving around Taka 371.05 crore during last nine and half years in
Rajshahi division.
Implementation works of two of the projects- ‘Special Rural Water Supply’
and ‘GOB UNICEF’- were completed during the first five-year term at a total
cost of around Taka 163.46 crore.
“Currently, we are implementing twelve projects in the division
comprising eight districts with an estimated cost of around Taka 207.59
crore,” said Abujar Masudar Rahman, Superintending Engineer of DPHE.
In addition to necessary infrastructure development, installation works
of 254 shallow tube-wells, 2,954 shallow pumps, 647 modified pumps, 72
hydraulic pumps and 51 ring-wells are progressing fast under the Taka 19.10-
crore water supply in rural areas pro.
Under the Taka 4.87-crore national sanitation project, construction
works of 7,444 sets of low-cost sanitary latrines, 57 community toilets and
two public toilets are going on. Commissioning works of 504 submersible
pumps, 551 submersible pumps with shallow tube-wells, 392 wash blocks and 107
shallow pumps are progressing under Taka 106.65-crore primary education
development project.
Works of setting up of 15.15-kilometer pipeline and four pump houses are
also progressing under the Taka 14.86-crore project of water supply and
environmental sanitation in municipalities located at Upazila Headquarter and
Growth Center. Installation works of 50 shallow tube-wells with 6 No pumps
were completed under the Taka 42 lakh water supply, sanitation and health
education project.
“We are building and installing 25-kilometer pipelines, four production
pumps, three pump houses and one water purification plant under the Taka
19.82-crore water supply in 37 district town project,” said Engineer Rahman.
More than 900 houses will get water supply connection upon successful
implementation of the project.
Under the Taka 14.92 crore Water Supply System Improvement in Sirajgonj
Municipality project, 50-kilometer pipeline, two water reservoirs, eight
tube-wells, four production pumps, four pump houses and four transformers
with electricity connection will be installed.
Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan of Department of Geology and Mining of
Rajshahi University attributed that the initiatives will contribute a lot to
reduce the acute crisis of drinking water in the drought-prone barind area.
Referring to his research findings he said there is a shortage of
drinking water in the region during dry season and the problem has become
acute for the last couple of years.
The existing shallow water technologies become ineffective currently and
demand for deep tube-wells has increased in the area due to rapid decline of
groundwater level along with arsenic contamination in shallow aquifer in many
areas.
Dr Chowdhury said villagers cannot withdraw groundwater through tube-
wells as the water level goes down abnormally during dry season.
He said the excessive use of groundwater through irrigation and the
existing adverse impact of climate change are putting local people in trouble
since the hand-driven tube-wells are not functioning here in dry season.
The changed climatic condition has been posing a serious threat to the
overall public health in the vast Barind tract, especially Tanore and
Godagari upazilas in Rajshahi and Nachole and Gomostapur upazilas in
Chapainawabgonj.
“The fight against water scarcity and unhygienic situation is very tough.
Coordinated efforts of different government and non-government organisations
are needed to address water problems here,” Dr Chowdhury added.