East Jafrabad new victim of Dhaka water crisis
In the family of Sarfaraz, there has been a recent addition in the list of everyday chores: fetching water for household use, from a neighbourhood half a kilometre away.
"My father, mother, and sister also fetch water," he said.
Imrul Sarfaraz lives in Hossain Shaheber Goli of East Jafrabad, a new victim of Dhaka city's burgeoning water crisis.
The family members go to different places to take baths.
“I go to a friend's house at Rayer Bazar, and my mother and sister to my grandmother's at Bashbari of Mohammadpur,” said the Dhaka University student.
His father, Mofizul Islam, said they had been facing a shortage of water for the last one and a half months, but the supply stopped completely one week ago.
The situation is the same in Bijoy Lane, Natun Rasta, Babri Masjid Road, and Pabna House Lane areas of East Jafrabad and parts of Rayer Bazar.
Parvin Akhtar of East Jafrabad has seen a rise in family expenditure. They have to spend Tk 500 every alternate day to buy a lorry full of water from the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa).
“Three out of the 10 tenants at my house have already notified that they want to move out due to the severe water crisis,” she said.
Another resident of Hossain Shaheber Goli, Lal Chan Pal, does not have to buy water yet he needs an extra Tk 50 to Tk 100 daily -- the cost of carrying water from other areas.
“It is really very painful to deal with this water crisis. Please, do something for us so we can at least get water from an alternative source,” said Sunil Chandra Pal, another resident.
Hossain Shaheber Goli gets a supply of 10 lorries every day, said Hamidul, a lorry driver. Seeking anonymity, a Wasa official said they were renovating the existing pump in the area for the last couple of weeks, and it might take one more week to complete.
Once it is done, the problem will go away, he said.
He added that the pump's efficiency had fallen by more than 50 percent, necessitating a renovation.
Comments