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Dalit people at 13 villages of Satkhira deprived of potable water


Published : 03 Dec 2019 07:03 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 07:21 PM

Of the 731 Dalit families of 13 villages in three unions of Satkhira Sadar Upazila, 390 families bought water and drank water. The remaining 341 family drink arsenic and iron water. The unions are Agardi, Balli and Zhaodanga. Until last June, only 731 families of the three unions drank arsenic and iron water. A Non Government development organization, Dalit, took the initiative to ensure safe water and sanitation facilities for the backward populations. In the last six months, they have made these communities aware of safe drinking water. The company claims that more than half the people are drinking safe water. According to the organization, 90% of the people belonging to the backward community Dalit people buy water and drink. 60% of people use a safe closet. 40% of people still use unsafe open closets. Cleanliness can be reduced to 90%.

Bikash Chandra Das, officer of the Satkhira unit of the Dalit organization, said there was no water line in any village of Agradari, Balli and Zhaodanga union of the Satkhira Sadar Upazila. The only source of drinking water here is the tubewell. About 5-10 families collect water from a tube well. As a result, they suffer more in water crisis. In the absence of this water their drainage system is extremely risky. In this, situation Dalit women suffer the most. Because, it is the responsibility of women to collect water.

He said that on June 2019, 731 families of 13 villages of Agardari, Balli and Zhaodanga union of Satkhira Sadar upazila were suffering from problems of safe drinking water, hygienic toilets and hygiene. The women and children of Babulia Rishipara, Indira Goldarpara, Chuparia Rishipara, Ramdanga Bhagwanipara and Kasimpur Hajampara of Agardari Union are deprived of access to safe water, hygienic toilets and hygiene facilities.

On the other hand, people of Kathaltala, Rishipara, Mukundpur, Karkarpara and Raipur Bhagawanipara of Bolli Union are suffering from various diseases due to deprivation of safe drinking water, hygienic toilets.

 In addition, six people from Zhaodanga Union, Rishipara, Kahaldanga Karikarpara, Madhabakati Colonypara, Akhrakhola Modalpara and Waria Gollarpara are suffering from various diseases. Besides nutrition, they are suffering from psoriasis, including diarrhea, gallstones, gastric, ulcers, hay fever. About 4,000 people use arsenic and iron water. The tube wells are filled with garbage. Most of these family members do not use a healthy safe closet. Once upon a time, they used to defecate in the bushes under the open sky. Now, even if he is not in that condition, the closet he uses is not healthy. Women and men and children defecate there, with 4 to 5 rings sitting around it with sacks or cloths. A closet is used by 3-5 families. Most people in the area are very poor. They sell their labor on the farm in the fields of others. Many people run the world by collecting bamboo from village to village, sowing baskets and weaving baskets. It is difficult for poor people to buy safe water and drink. They do not have the ability to construct a clean closet

Bikas Chandra Das said the above situation has pushed these people to a life where their human dignity is severely undermined. They have called on the government to make the lives of Dalits backward in the socially degraded, insecure and civil disadvantaged population a step further.

Satkhira Sadar Upazila Public Health Engineering Officer Moniruzzaman said the total number of arsenic-free tubewells in Sadar Upazila is 6636. Of these, there are 6137. The number of deep tube-wells is 2,024. Of these, there are 30. The shallow tube-wells are open with 3228. Of these, there are 246.

He also said that the water tested at Zhaodanga and Balli union of Sadar upazila showed that the arsenic levels in these two unions were more than 0.o5 milligrams per liter of water. As a result, the water here is harmful to health. Especially arsenic disorders are feared.

Satkhira Civil Surgeon Dr. Sheikh Abu Shaheen said that if the arsenic level is more than 0.05 milligrams per liter of water, it is ineligible to drink water. Arsenic water cannot be arsenic free. A number of unions in Sadar upazila are being made aware of the problem of arsenic-free drinking water due to the problem.