<i>Villagers get safe drinking water at nominal cost </i>

27 July 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Kurigram

People of Rabaitari village in Fulbari upazila of Kurigram district gather near the overhead water tank constructed by Barind Multipurpose Development Authority to ensure safe drinking water for the villagers. Photo: STAR

People at Rabaitari village under Fulbari upazila of the district are receiving safe drinking water as Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) has taken a programme to supply arsenic and iron free water among the people through activating the unused deep tub-wells of BADC. The villagers, who had been taking water polluted with arsenic and iron for long, are happy to get safe water for a nominal cost. Md Jafor Ali, lawmaker from of Kurigram-2 constituency, inaugurated he programme as the chief guest on June 4. The deep tub-well of BADC started operation at the village in 1982 but after supplying water for four years, it remained inoperative for 20 years. The BMDA in 2005 arranged connection of electricity with the water pump after necessary repair in the tub-well and about 80 bighas of land was brought under Boro cultivation in last year. For 240 to 300 families in the village, an overhead water tank with 25,000-litre capacity has been set up at a cost of Tk 10 lakh, BMDA office sources said. Water is collected through the deep tub-well three times a day. Each family has to pay Tk 30 a month to get pure drinking water. “As we are getting pure drinking water, we will remain free from water-borne diseases,” said Abu Hasan, manager of the 'beneficiaries association'. BMDA will extend the drinking water supply programme to other places in the district where the deep tub-wells of BADC have been set up, BMDA Executive Director Md Shahidar Rahman said. “BMDA earlier initiated drinking water supply programme in Rajshahi and Chapinababganj districts as there is water crisis. Now the programme has started in Kurigram district where water pollution is common,” he said.