Traditional water body clogged
Locals face water crisis, devotees coming to nearby temples in problem
Kalikatala Doha, a 27-acre water body in Naldanga Rajbari area of Jhenidah Sadar upazila, is heading towards virtual death due to serious pollution and clogging by water hyacinth.
Earlier a large number of people of the surrounding area used its water for bathing, drinking and household work but they are facing problem due to the pollution.
The situation poses added problems for the local Hindu community.
There are seven big ancient Hindu temples around the water body and Durga Puja is observed in the vicinity every year.
There is a cremation ground adjacent to the water body and its water is used for washing the bodies before cremation.
Members of the committee in charge of the seven temples said they had been cultivating fish in the water body for long, giving revenue to the government.
The profit from fish cultivation was used for temple development.
But in September 2009, the district administration declared that the water body would no longer be leased.
In 2012 the temples were acquired by the archeology department and temple committee secretary Atul Adhikary filed a case against it.
Afterwards, the district administration took control of the water body.
The condition of the water body gradually worsened and it got clogged with water hyacinth due to lack of care.
“The Hindus in eleven villages around the water body are facing problem during funeral of dead bodies for want of clean water. The people are facing water crisis while local varieties of big fishes worth lakhs of taka are dying due to pollution,” said Nikhil Datta, general secretary of the local cremation ground committee.
Besides, local Hindus are being deprived of their traditional Punya Snan (holy bath) in the water body, he said.
He demanded immediate steps to save the water body.
Temple committee members said they are not getting any positive response from the Jhenidah Deputy Commissioner's office although they have applied for lease of the water body.
Jhenidah Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Khodeza Khatun said, “The temple committee has submitted application for lease. But a case related to the water body is under trial. Necessary steps will be taken when the court issues an order.”