Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam on Monday told the parliament that the safe water coverage was raised from 82 percent to 88 percent over the last five years for the rural population of the country.
“The government implemented various initiatives to ensure supply of arsenic- free safe water during the last five years,” he told the House while replying to a tabled question of treasury bench member Didarul Alam with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
The minister said the Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) under the local government division implemented the initiatives for ensuring arsenic-free safe water in rural Bangladesh during the period.
“The government has also set up 1.82 lakh arsenic-free safe water sources in rural areas including the arsenic-hit areas and 12,000 primary schools,” Ashraf told the House adding, the government also brought 86 villages under pipe line water supply. He said the DPHE constructed two surface water treatment plants in Rajshahi Metropolitan city for introducing modern water supply system. The construction work for surface water treatment plant in Sylhet and Barisal cities is nearing completion, he said.
Ashraf also said that the government has installed modern water supply system at Mongla Pourasava to ensure safe water for its dwellers. The government tested quality of 1.30 lakh water sources and constructed 5.50 lakh low cost latrines in rural areas.
