Rashidul Islam –
People of Khulna’s Sundarbans coast region are living miserable lives. They are suffering from the scarcity of fresh water. Fishes in ponds and ghers are dying. The people from these underprivileged areas are struggling with their livelihoods and their fate is not changing.
Water in coastal areas is not potable due to high salinity. Especially, since the eruptions of hurricanes such as Aila and Sidr, the freshwater sources of these coastal areas have been destroyed. All freshwater sources in the area are becoming saline.
Mofizul Islam of Patharkhali village in Koira upazila said, “There is no freshwater source in the area. There is only one reservoir to hold rainwater. Local people collect drinking water from it which runs out before the year finishes.”
Bimal Mandal of Gabbunia village said, “There is a scarcity of drinking water in the area. We have to fetch water from a distance of 5 to 6 kilometers. There is plenty of water around us but not even a drop of water here is drinkable.”
Upazila Public Health Engineer Imtiaz Ahmed acknowledged the problem of drinking water and said, “There is only one deep tube-well for 500 people in Koira which is much less than required. Five ponds have been re-excavated here. People collect water from there.’’
Advocate Kamlesh Kumar Sana, Vice Chairman of Koira Upazila Parishad, said “Only 15% of people in this area use water harvesting. This is quite low considering the necessity. To provide a permanent water supply to the people of Koira, powerful pumps must be installed. For this, the government should come forward and also take a plan to ensure that clean water is available to common people.”
Kohinur Mali of Mathbari area in Maharajpur union said, “Drinking water scarcity is severe here. We have to drink pond water. Due to this, people are suffering from waterborne diseases. There is no health complex in the area. They have to travel 15 kilometers to go to Koira hospital away for treatment.”
Chairman of Maharajpur Union Parishad Alhaj Abdullah Al Mahmud said, “Five ponds have been renovated. The water of these ponds has been filtered. The rest of the people take water from the pond and drink it after cleaning with potash alum.”
Upazila Fisheries Officer Aminul Islam said, “Grass carp, tiger prawn, lobster, seabass, mullet, and mystus fish can be cultivated in the water of this area. But people are not coming forward due to the financial crisis.”
Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Saidul Islam said, “It is possible to cultivate rice, wheat, corn, mustard, sunflower, and various vegetables here.”
River erosion is one of the major problems in the area. The people of the coastal area have to abandon their homes again and again.
Regarding the issue, upazila project implementation officer Saiful Islam said, “Fifty percent of the people of Koira upazila have been affected by the river erosion. Only 10 percent of them have been resettled. Only 5 percent of the affected people have been trained, which is much less than the required. Along with the government, private aid organizations should come forward in this regard.”
In this regard, Md. Afzal Hossain, Section Officer of the Water Development Board, said, “The sustainable embankment project has been passed. Work has not started yet. However, the dam renovation work is ongoing on an urgent basis. But it is very insufficient compared to the need.”
North Bedkashi Union Parishad Chairman Alhaj Sardar Nurul Islam said, “The awareness of people in this region is very low. For this, awareness programs should be undertaken by government and private initiatives.”
Professor Ranjan Mridha, president of the Koira Development Coordination Committee, said, “There will be no change in the fate of the people of this region if the permanent embankment is not built. To make people aware, they should be given alternative sources of income. But no training has been provided for the affected people.”
Koira Upazila Parishad Chairman SM Shafiqul Islam said in disappointment, “Not only in Khulna but also in the whole country, Koira is a neglected and deprived township. The people in the area live in a hostile climate. There is no help for the affected people.”
“Government allocation is very little, and the activities of NGOs are very controversial. They are mostly busy campaigning only in the name of aid. Monitoring the works of NGOs by the army will ensure fair distribution. Common people will be benefited then,” he said.
