‘WASA water contaminated in 59 areas’
Water supplied by Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is contaminated in 59 areas under its 10 zones, according to a report submitted to the High Court on Thursday, reports UNB.
Local government, rural development (LGRD) ministry placed the report prepared by WASA before the court.
On 13 May, WASA handed over the report to the LGRD ministry.
The areas that got polluted water Jatrabari, Basabo, Mugda, Rajarbagh, Kusumbagh, Jurain, Maniknagar, Manda, Dholaipar and Matuail under Zone-1; Bhagalpur, Lalbagh, Bakshibazar and Shahidnagar under Zone-2; Zigatala, Dhanmondi, Sukrabad, Kalabagan, Bhutergali and Mohammadpur under Zone-3; Shewrapara, Pirerbagh, Monipur Paikpara, Kazipara and Mirpur under Zone-4; Mohakhali and Tejgaon under Zone-5; Siddheswari, Shahjahanpur, Khilgaon, Moghbazar, Noyatola, Rampura, Malibagh and Paribagh under Zone-6; Kadamtali, Dhania, Shyampur, Rasulbagh, Merajnagar, Paterbagh, Shanirakhra, Konapara and Muslim Nagar under Zone-7; Badda, Aftabnagar, Bashundhara and Vatara under Zone-8; Uttara, Khilkhet, Fayedabad, Mollartek and Ranavola under Zone-9; and Kafrul, Kazipara, Mirpur, Kachukhet and Pallabi under Zone-10.
Submitting the report, the ministry told the court that they will collect 1,065 water samples from the 10 zones and an amount of Tk 7.57 million will be required to test those.
The HC bench of justice JBM Hassan and justice Khairul Alam asked chairman of Dhaka University's Microbiology Department Prof Sabita Rezwana Rahman to give her opinion on the report before the court on 21 May.
Deputy attorney general Motahar Hossain Sazu argued for LGRD ministry, lawyer Tanvir Ahmed moved for the petitioner and M Masud represented WASA.
On 13 May, the HC expressed discontent as WASA failed to submit the report after examining its water supplied to different areas and asked the LGRD ministry to submit a report within 15 May after fixing the expenditure to be required for examining water supplied by WASA.
The HC order came following a writ petition filed by lawyer Tanvir Ahmed attaching media reports published on the World Bank observations.
On 8 May, the High Court ordered the authorities concerned to prepare a list of the areas receiving highly contaminated water supplied by Dhaka WASA.
On 11 October 2018, the World Bank published a report which says over 75 million people of the country drink unsafe water as 41 per cent sources of water contains harmful bacteria. The report also said 13 per cent water contains arsenic.
The World Bank report said about 80 per cent water supplied through pipeline contains harmful bacteria.
On 6 November 2018, the High Court ordered the authorities concerned to form a five-member committee for examining the Dhaka WASA water.