WASA must ensure supply of pure water during Ramzan

IN A mass hearing, city dwellers on Tuesday asked the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to shoulder the responsibility for supplying contaminated water in most city areas. The call came after the WASA claimed that their supply water was drinkable albeit Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) reported polluted water at consumers’ end. City dwellers said that water is life but they’ve reached this situation where water becomes a synonym for death. At many places of Dhaka, WASA supplies murky and stinky water. And people die of diseases that originate from with the water. It is a rare example in any city of the world where utility service provider supplies stinky and germ-contaminated water, though our development surprises many.
At the mass hearing, members of the platform showcased 22 bottles of water which they claimed to have collected from different households of Jurain, Shyampur and Kadamtali areas. Two of the bottles had blackish water while the rest contained water that was yellowish. The platform demanded punishment of WASA officials responsible for supplying such water. It also demanded compensation from WASA. People at every household are suffering from illnesses due to polluted water but the authorities concerned remain indifferent about the issue.
Access to clean and drinking water is a human right and in every nation, the government set up water supply network to supply pure water, but we have failed to get minimum utility facilities. The so-called development is like as farce if the authorities cannot ensure minimum standards of living, like pure water, uninterrupted electricity, safe road, and fire safety and basic law and order.
As summer arrived; the water crisis would be acute. Besides, the demand of useable water will be increased in this Ramzan month. To tackle the situation, WASA should take preparations and ensure pure drinking water to city dwellers immediately.