PHOTO: STAR

OUR CORRESPONDENT, Bagerhat

The crisis of safe drinking water has turned acute in south-western part of the country in the onset of summer causing untold sufferings. Both surface and underground water sources have become sparse in the area.

Bagerhat’s Mongla, Rampal, Sharankhola, Morrelganj, Kachua and Chitalmari upazilas are the worst affected areas.

“All of the ponds in our area have dried up. Some have a little water which is not even suitable for bathing. We can hardly manage fresh water for cooking and drinking,” said Kabir Molla, a resident of Kalmibuniya village in Kachua upazila.

“We cannot use water of nearby canals or rivers due to salinity. Very often, we become compelled to bathe in salt water. It causes skin disease,” said Majid Sheikh, a resident of Chanderkhola village in the same upazila.

“Even we don’t get water from deep tube-well. People have to buy a jar of 20-litre fresh water at Tk 35,” he added.

It is a double blow for the villagers,” said Ruhul Sheikh of Kalmibuniya area in Kachua.

Amid such a situation, the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) has so far installed over ten thousand rainwater harvesting tanks in the affected upazilas in the last five years.

Each of the tanks has a capacity to contain 3,000 litres of water, said DPHE officials.

“The tanks have proven to be very helpful for us. We will be able to preserve rainwater for three to four months. It will save our money bringing an end to freshwater crisis,” Bappi Devnath, a resident of Raripara union in Kachua upazila.

“But these are not sufficient in comparison to the demand. So, we demand more tanks be installed at every doorstep,” said Asis Das Kalu, a resident of Sree Rampur village in Kachua

Contacted, Bagerhat’s DPHE Executive Engineer Joyanta Mollick said the government will continue distributing the tanks.

“We have the plan to install the tanks at every homestead gradually,” he said.

The Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) has installed over 10,000 rainwater harvesting tanks in the affected upazilas in the last five years. Each tanks has a capacity to contain 3,000 litres of water.