Staff Reporter :
The dwellers of old Dhaka have been suffering from acute drinking water during Ramzan, though the WASA claimed that the supply of water is sufficient.
Dhaka WASA (Water Supply and Sewerage Authority) officials said they are supplying adequate water for the city but people from many areas,
particularly in old part of Dhaka, said they are suffering in the absence of sufficient drinking water.
While asked the reason behind the drinking water crisis during the month of Ramzan, the officials claimed that some unscrupulous officials might create the artificial crisis to get some extra benefits out of it.
Engineer Taksim A Khan, Managing Director of Dhaka WASA said, “We supply sufficient water then necessary. Although some areas face water crisis, this is a temporary problem.”
“I don’t think that any one will willingly create water crisis. May be some dishonest officials create the problem to highlight water crisis during Ramzan to undermine the reputation of the government. They may show the mechanical fault greater than it is,” he said.
According to WASA, there is a demand of 225 crore litres of water per day in Dhaka city while the capacity of WASA is 245 crore litres. Five water treatment plants and 712 pumps maintain the supply.
“Though the production is more than the demand, the crisis appears for some technical problems as well as the old supply lines,” said Qamrul Alam Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director of Dhaka WASA.
Residents in Lalbagh, Lakshmibazar, Tantibazar, Babubazar, Banglabazar, Bongshal, Nababpur, Islampur, Patla Khan Lane, Azimpur, Wari, Sutrapur and Jatrabari are the worst sufferers.
People living in these areas have to spend most of the time of the day in search of drinking water.
Jannatun Nahar, a resident from Hazaribagh, said the water supplied by the WASA has been containing a bad smell.
“We cannot drink, take a bath or cannot cook using the filthy water supplied by WASA. This is not first time, this problem also occurred earlier,” she said.
“The situation has worsened during Ramzan as the water could not be used for any household work,” said Sarmin Akter, a housewife from Mahuttuli area in the capital.
The burn and surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital suffered from water crisis during the last two days. Patients, attendants and visitors are facing serious problem for lack of drinking water as well water using for cleaning patients.
During prayer times the devotees do not get water for ablution. This also happened during Sehri and Iftar times, said Washim, a resident from Hakim Habibur Rahman Road area in old Dhaka.
“We purchase water jar to do hour household chores. We complained to the local WASA authority but we did not get any remedy,” he said.
The residents blamed the employees of different pumps for selling water banking on the odd situation. They also alleged that WASA operators are creating an artificial crisis to do a brisk business.
People collect drinking water from a water pump waiting in a long queue due to the drinking water crisis in their locality.
The dwellers of old Dhaka have been suffering from acute drinking water during Ramzan, though the WASA claimed that the supply of water is sufficient.
Dhaka WASA (Water Supply and Sewerage Authority) officials said they are supplying adequate water for the city but people from many areas,
particularly in old part of Dhaka, said they are suffering in the absence of sufficient drinking water.
While asked the reason behind the drinking water crisis during the month of Ramzan, the officials claimed that some unscrupulous officials might create the artificial crisis to get some extra benefits out of it.
Engineer Taksim A Khan, Managing Director of Dhaka WASA said, “We supply sufficient water then necessary. Although some areas face water crisis, this is a temporary problem.”
“I don’t think that any one will willingly create water crisis. May be some dishonest officials create the problem to highlight water crisis during Ramzan to undermine the reputation of the government. They may show the mechanical fault greater than it is,” he said.
According to WASA, there is a demand of 225 crore litres of water per day in Dhaka city while the capacity of WASA is 245 crore litres. Five water treatment plants and 712 pumps maintain the supply.
“Though the production is more than the demand, the crisis appears for some technical problems as well as the old supply lines,” said Qamrul Alam Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director of Dhaka WASA.
Residents in Lalbagh, Lakshmibazar, Tantibazar, Babubazar, Banglabazar, Bongshal, Nababpur, Islampur, Patla Khan Lane, Azimpur, Wari, Sutrapur and Jatrabari are the worst sufferers.
People living in these areas have to spend most of the time of the day in search of drinking water.
Jannatun Nahar, a resident from Hazaribagh, said the water supplied by the WASA has been containing a bad smell.
“We cannot drink, take a bath or cannot cook using the filthy water supplied by WASA. This is not first time, this problem also occurred earlier,” she said.
“The situation has worsened during Ramzan as the water could not be used for any household work,” said Sarmin Akter, a housewife from Mahuttuli area in the capital.
The burn and surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital suffered from water crisis during the last two days. Patients, attendants and visitors are facing serious problem for lack of drinking water as well water using for cleaning patients.
During prayer times the devotees do not get water for ablution. This also happened during Sehri and Iftar times, said Washim, a resident from Hakim Habibur Rahman Road area in old Dhaka.
“We purchase water jar to do hour household chores. We complained to the local WASA authority but we did not get any remedy,” he said.
The residents blamed the employees of different pumps for selling water banking on the odd situation. They also alleged that WASA operators are creating an artificial crisis to do a brisk business.
People collect drinking water from a water pump waiting in a long queue due to the drinking water crisis in their locality.
