33 dists to get safe water

The government has taken a project to supply safe water in arsenic and salinity affected areas through pipeline and non-pipeline supply system, as the people of the areas are being affected by different diseases through drinking contaminated water.
"We will identify the arsenic and salinity affected villages and unions in 33 districts across the country and install permanent and temporary water supply system," a planning ministry official told the news agency.
He said local government, community and private sponsors would be engaged in the installation of pipeline system for supplying safe water.
Apart from the water supply, low cost sanitary latrine would be constructed for the ultra poor people in the selected areas, he said.
"Quality sanitation system would be introduced by local private sector and mass awareness would also be built in the affected areas," the official added.
The areas are Dhaka, Kishoreganj, Narayanganj, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur, Manikganj, Munsiganj, Tangail, Barguna, Barisal, Pirojpur, Bagerhat, Jessore, Khulna, Magura, Jenidah, Narail, Satkhira, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chittagong, Comilla, Feni, Laxmipur, Noakhali, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Sylhet, Bogra, Kurigram and Rangpur.
The project would require a cost of Tk 682 crore. Of the total cost, the government would provide Tk 14.39 crore from national exchequer, community sponsors would provide Tk 112.51 crore and rest Tk 555 crore would come as project assistance.
The project would be placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), which is scheduled to meet today.