MEMBERS of the local community of Rangamati’s Kawkhali upazila have to walk two to twelve kilometres hilly terrains under the scorching sun everyday to collect water from the natural wells or springs. They are suffering from water scarcity everyday for many years, but the wells and springs are running out quickly while groundwater level depleting. Having access to safe drinking water is a human right but the hilly people largely deprived of the right that strongly suggests that government should ensure equal access to water for them.
The ethnic minorities used to depend on natural sources of water like springs and streams for drinking water and their daily activities, including washing and bathing, but many of these have dried up in the last 3-5 years. Therefore, several springs across the district, including in areas like Debaotachari, Champa Tuli, Morong Chari, Boro Pagli, Choto Pagli, Naraichari, Sakra Chhari and Junu Maa Chara, have all dried up. The water flow in many streams is disrupted and stones dislodged after a massive landslide occurred in Rangamati on 13 June 2017. Besides, the streams are drying up due to stone extraction as the tributaries are unable to hold the water without stone beddings.
The crisis is too acute when people fail to get water layer even digging 100-150 feet beneath the surface. The water levels are going down as the temperatures are shooting up, while moisture in the soil decreases as commercial farming is rising. The government and non-government organisations have very few projects to provide water for household uses and drinking due to terrain land surface.
It is now obvious that water scarcity for drinking purpose is the major problem in the hills at present. We urge the government to take especial schemes to protect natural reservoirs and spring which are the prime sources of water in the hilly area. Massive steps should be taken to supply water through pipelines from deep tube-wells or other sources as well. There should be other schemes to preserve rain water and purifying the river waters as ground water is decreasing day by day.
