Readers’ Forum

Never Ending Miseries Of City Dwellers
The water supplied by four out of Wasa’s 10 MODS Zones and two out of its four source points is contaminated with harmful bacteria. The Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Ministry also had pointed the same issue in a report placed in the first week of this month. The report that was placed before the HC through the Attorney General also suggested taking immediate measures to combat the menace. From different newspapers, I came to know that the LGRD Ministry tested the water at the laboratories of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka University and International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh as per an earlier order of the court.
It also laid emphasis on conducting thorough water monitoring campaign in the areas to identify whether there are additional contaminated households. Earlier, Dhaka Wasa admitted that its water supplied to 57 areas was polluted because of faulty pipes. In April, several residents of Jurain appeared at the Wasa Bhaban in Karwan Bazar with lemons, sugar, and a jar of murky water which they said was supplied by the Wasa. The local people tried to make Wasa Managing Director Taqsem A Khan drink sherbet made from the water.
I’m very much confused whether the court directives have been followed by the DWASA. So far I think, it also allegedly did not implement recommendations of LGRD Ministry till the date. The residents of different areas in Old Dhaka have been facing tremendous problem due to scarcity of drinking water. I don’t know when our miseries would end.
Shahela Begum
Mir Hazirbagh, Dhaka