The inhabitants of different ‘Ashrayan Projects’ in seven upazilas of the district have been living a miserable life for lack of basic facilities like education, power connections and healthcare services.
Some 3,635 landless families have been living in 408 barracks built under the 43 Ashrayan projects in Paikgachcha, Dumuria, Terokhada, Batiaghata, Dakope, Rupsha and Koyra upazilas.
In a bid to rehabilitate landless and destitute people, the government has initiated ‘Ashrayan Project’ ‘Ashrayan Project (Phase-2)’ and ‘Ashrayan Project-II’ since 1999.
Although the government has arranged sheds
for people, but could not fulfill other basic facilities like sanitation, pure drinking water, education, healthcare services and power connections. Besides, there is no job opportunity in and around the area, locals said.
Sources said, many of the families who have taken shelter in the projects already left the places for lack of facilities.
Sources at the Khulna local administration said 43 projects have been implemented under three projects so far where 408 barrack houses were built, accommodating 3,635 families.
Of these, some 1,450 people have been living in the 145 barracks under the first phase of Ashrayan Project while 1,740 people in 174 houses under Ashrayan Project (Phase-2) and 445 families in 89 houses under Ashrayan Project-II.
In Paikgachcha upazila, the government has built 40 barracks in Harikhali area near Wapda Dam along Sibsha River for 40 landless families in 2003. But most of the families have left their houses for unavailability of jobs. Only eight families of five to six members each have been found living there.
