Villagers form human chain with empty pitchers demanding safe drinking water

Residents formed a human chain to resolve the acute crisis of safe drinking water in Ward No. 1 of Uttar Kathaltali Union in Barguna's Pathorghata. Yesterday, Thursday (April 24) around 11:00 am, hundreds of people participated in the program carrying empty pitchers. Speakers said that the area has been suffering from a safe water crisis for about 40 years. There is no government initiative for adequate water supply for more than five hundred families. Although government ponds or other water sources exist in other areas, there is no permanent system for safe water in this region.

The demand of the villagers is that their main source of water is rainwater. But as there is no system to preserve that water throughout the year, most of the time they are forced to drink unsafe water from ponds or canals, which is creating a serious health hazard. Especially children, women and people of various ages are suffering from various water-borne diseases. They further informed that although a few deep tube-wells were installed in the area, they were not effective due to salinity. Consequently, the villagers demanded the installation of tanks in every house to preserve rainwater.

Regarding this matter, Upazila Public Health Engineer Md. Mehedi Hasan said, "Water purification tablets will be distributed soon to resolve the water crisis. The tanks that have been allocated will be distributed within the shortest possible time. However, if separate allocations are received for the 500 families, installing tanks will be easier."