Wasa not free from corruption, says MD
Dhaka Wasa is not free from corruption and irregularities, Managing Director Taqsem A Khan admitted yesterday.
He also said the authority took initiatives to ensure transparency in its activities in the last one year.
"We have curbed irregularities and corruption and tried to ensure transparency in our systems. In some cases we succeeded, in some cases we could not. That doesn't mean corruption has left Wasa."
The chief of Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) was speaking at a view-exchange meeting with media representatives to describe progresses of "Turn Around Dhaka Wasa 2010-2012" programme at Wasa Bhaban.
He said some officials are involved in using illegal water lines, metre tempering, and other irregularities.
Wasa took departmental actions including filing case against some 100 employees for different allegations, dismissed some of them, and downsized pay scale of the convicted in the last one year, Taqsem claimed.
He also said Wasa has planned to reduce dependence on groundwater sources to 30 percent from existing 87 percent and shift the dependence on surface water sources by 70 percent within the next 10 years.
Two water treatment plants with each having a capacity to produce around 50 crore litres daily will be set up while the extension work of Sayedabad water plant is going on, which will generate around 22.5 crore litre more a day, he said.
About Ramadan preparation, the Wasa managing director said the crisis of water will be reduced significantly for some initiatives taken by Wasa.
Water vehicles, tractors, and generators will remain active while water will be supplied through trolleys and vans during Iftar and Sehri hours, Taqsem said.
Currently Dhaka Wasa is producing around 210-220 crore litres of water daily against a demand of 210-230 crore litres from its 586 deep tubewells and four water treatment plants, he said.
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