Didarul Alam Raju, Khagrachhari :
Once Khagrachhari Hill district had a crisis of pure water. In this hill district, more than thousand people died every year due to waterborne diseases but the situation is no longer like the past. In the last 10 years, the sources of pure water have been doubled. The pure water crisis as well as the number of dead by water borne diseases has decreased.
According to data of Public Health Engineering Department, on 2009 only 28.57 percent of the total population was covered under pure water in Khagrachhari district. At present, the number has increased to 57.57 percent. The current water source in this district has 11 thousand 7 hundred and 83, which was 6 thousand 3 hundred 81 on 2009.
In the last 2015-16 fiscal year, Khagrachhari Public Health Engineering Department (DPHE) has taken up the project for “Safe Drinking Water Supply & Sanitation System Development at Different Important Bazar with Surrounding Locality under Khagrachhari District” of 31. 61 l crores 10 thousand taka. In favor of the project, by placing street hydrants in 66 markets in different upazilas of the district, supply of drinking water was arranged for pedestrians and local residents. Besides this, deep tube-wells were placed under this project in the neighboring residential areas of the market.
In addition, Department of Public Health Engineering has arranged for pure drinking water in 234 schools of the district and 106 wash blocks have been built.
Sub-Assistant Engineer of Khagrachhari Public Health Engineering Department Md. Ashraful Islam said, “The project was completed in June this year. Meanwhile, the street hydrants placed in 42 markets have been handed over to the concerned market management committee and the process of handing over the rest is going on”.
He also said, “As a result, the traders, pedestrians and buyers who come to the market are getting pure water. Besides, due to the development of the tube wells and sanitation system in the adjacent areas of the market, health risk has decreased greatly”.
Chairman of Sadar Union Council of Mahalchhari upazila, Ratan Shil said, “At one time, there was a lot of pure water crisis of this upazila. The inhabitants used to drink water from the well. As a result, many people died due to water borne diseases, especially children”.
“However, in the two periods of the current government, it has an unprecedented development. There is no crisis of pure water in my constituency”, he added.
Executive Engineer of Khagrachhari Public Health Engineering Department Md. Sohrab Hossain said, “With a view to development of safe water supply and sanitation system in the surrounding human habitation including 65 main markets in the district, the process of taking a new project is going on”.
“The project is currently awaiting for approval in the Planning Commission. If the project is approved and implemented, the people living in market at remote areas and surrounding areas will be covered under pure drinking and safe sanitation coverage”, he added. Besides, currently the sanitation coverage of Khagrachhari district is 79.12 percent of the total population. T
he number of sanitary latrines is one lakh two thousand and one. However, for the 100 percent coverage, total one lakh thirty three thousand seven hundreds and twelve sanitary latrines are needed in Khagrachhari.
Once Khagrachhari Hill district had a crisis of pure water. In this hill district, more than thousand people died every year due to waterborne diseases but the situation is no longer like the past. In the last 10 years, the sources of pure water have been doubled. The pure water crisis as well as the number of dead by water borne diseases has decreased.
According to data of Public Health Engineering Department, on 2009 only 28.57 percent of the total population was covered under pure water in Khagrachhari district. At present, the number has increased to 57.57 percent. The current water source in this district has 11 thousand 7 hundred and 83, which was 6 thousand 3 hundred 81 on 2009.
In the last 2015-16 fiscal year, Khagrachhari Public Health Engineering Department (DPHE) has taken up the project for “Safe Drinking Water Supply & Sanitation System Development at Different Important Bazar with Surrounding Locality under Khagrachhari District” of 31. 61 l crores 10 thousand taka. In favor of the project, by placing street hydrants in 66 markets in different upazilas of the district, supply of drinking water was arranged for pedestrians and local residents. Besides this, deep tube-wells were placed under this project in the neighboring residential areas of the market.
In addition, Department of Public Health Engineering has arranged for pure drinking water in 234 schools of the district and 106 wash blocks have been built.
Sub-Assistant Engineer of Khagrachhari Public Health Engineering Department Md. Ashraful Islam said, “The project was completed in June this year. Meanwhile, the street hydrants placed in 42 markets have been handed over to the concerned market management committee and the process of handing over the rest is going on”.
He also said, “As a result, the traders, pedestrians and buyers who come to the market are getting pure water. Besides, due to the development of the tube wells and sanitation system in the adjacent areas of the market, health risk has decreased greatly”.
Chairman of Sadar Union Council of Mahalchhari upazila, Ratan Shil said, “At one time, there was a lot of pure water crisis of this upazila. The inhabitants used to drink water from the well. As a result, many people died due to water borne diseases, especially children”.
“However, in the two periods of the current government, it has an unprecedented development. There is no crisis of pure water in my constituency”, he added.
Executive Engineer of Khagrachhari Public Health Engineering Department Md. Sohrab Hossain said, “With a view to development of safe water supply and sanitation system in the surrounding human habitation including 65 main markets in the district, the process of taking a new project is going on”.
“The project is currently awaiting for approval in the Planning Commission. If the project is approved and implemented, the people living in market at remote areas and surrounding areas will be covered under pure drinking and safe sanitation coverage”, he added. Besides, currently the sanitation coverage of Khagrachhari district is 79.12 percent of the total population. T
he number of sanitary latrines is one lakh two thousand and one. However, for the 100 percent coverage, total one lakh thirty three thousand seven hundreds and twelve sanitary latrines are needed in Khagrachhari.
