Rehabilitating river erosion victims
Provision of safe water for the homeless.
SITUATED on the Brahmaputra Chilmari is a disaster-prone upazila in Kurigram district. River erosion is a common phenomenon in the area.
Like previous years, this year also the Brahmaputra devoured five villages of Thanahat and Raniganj unions within a period from July to August. The calamity rendered 400 families homeless. Of them 1,512 members of 335 families took shelter on an under-construction embankment of the Bangladesh Water Development Board at Rajarbhita Mastal village of Thanarhat union. Because of lack of facilities for basic needs such as food, health, water and sanitation, they led a sub-human life. They took unsafe water of the river while they were habituated to open defecation. They naturally fell victim to water borne diseases. Diarrhoea and cholera became part of their lives.
Observing the pitiable condition of vulnerable people, Chilmari upazila administration called upon the NGOs to reduce their health risk.
In response, Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) and Concern Universal Bangladesh (CUB) jointly took an initiative titled, 'Vulnerability Mapping and WatSan Component', to provide water and sanitation services as emergency response. Upazila Sanitation Taskforce (UZSTF) took the leading role in ensuring participation of GO-NGO and other local organisations.
As part of the project, another emergency response programme titled, 'Emergency WatSan Services in Chilmari' was undertaken at a cost of Tk 1 lakh 50,000. Its work started on September 4 and concluded on September 20. Upazila Administration, Upazila Sanitation Taskforce, Union Sanitation Taskforce and Ward Sanitation Taskforce were the major stakeholders.
Under the emergency support, DAM sank 10 shallow hand tube wells and installed 21 ring-slab hygienic latrines. Each latrine and tube well was earmarked for 10 families. Several procedures were followed for implementation of the programme. Chilmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Enamul Haque said the vulnerable people now got access to safe water and safe sanitation due to timely intervention by DAM who also imparted training to caretakers employed for proper operation and maintenance of latrines and water points. He assured rehabilitation of 50 per cent victims on three acres of land at Putimari 'Mouja' under 'Abashon' project. Eighty more families are likely to be rehabilitated on government Khas land, he added.
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