Arsenic removal
A report on the subject was published in a local English daily on 4 April. It was based on a first hand write-up from the site, where an arsenic filter was recently installed and is being used in a village in Kushtia.
The provision of funds and resources by British American Tobacco
(BAT) for providing, installing and putting into operation six such plants in Manikganj, Jheneidah and Meherpur is an excellent example of corporate social responsibility demonstrated by this multinational. This should serve as an example for our local large group of companies to follow for the benefit of the poor and needy rural people, unaware of the dangers of arsenic in drinking water!
Setting up and commissioning and training for operation of such plants, comes to around Tk.4 lakh as reported. The villagers in turn, collect Tk.30 per month from each household in the village, to pay for the regular upkeep and maintenance of the arsenic removal plants to ensure regular supply of arsenic free drinking water!
This matter should be well publicised in our audio-visual media, so that it encourages other philanthropic people and organisations to come forward and set up similar plants for the removal of arsenic contamination from potable water for the rural people in Bangladesh. I am sure all readers will join me in thanking BAT for this much needed help, which will save the money for the country for treating many poor arsenic infected people!
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments