Mobile plants for desalination
The news published in your daily on April 26, 2010 stating that Japan would provide five water purification mobile desalination plants is no doubt a welcome development. People living in the coastal belts have been suffering from drinking water crisis due to salinity and after any natural disaster this problem is compounded. Only the sufferers can realize it. As I was Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Shyamnagar Upazila under Satkhira district about three years ago, I saw the untold sufferings, especially after two major disasters i.e. 'Sidor' and 'Aila'. After Aila the water bodies of this upazila were submerged by saline water except a few ponds located around the headquarters. People had been screaming for drinking water. Instantaneously we set up a plant for filtering water in our upazila headquarters and supplied it to different corners. The district administration also supplied water transported by lorries. Satkhira Jubo Academy supplied water in the whole of upazila setting up plants in the headquarters. Oxfam, GB Ganoshastya, Assistance Eau Et Environment, a French NGO, established plants for supplying water.
People need drinking water not only for drinking but other purposes also like cooking. But we are able to supply only drinking water. People are compelled to use polluted water for other household purposes and expose themselves to diarrhoea and other water borne diseases. So, desalination plants are badly needed in the coastal belts.
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