Show austerity in using water: HPM Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the city dwellers to exercise austerity while using water since a significant amount of money is spent on water treatment.

“I’d like to urge all to be conscious over the use of water. Everyone will have to pay special attention so that water is not wasted,” she said while digitally opening two water plants and laying the foundation stone of another plant of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) from a city hotel on Thursday.

She inaugurated the Padma (Jashaldia) Water Treatment Plant (Phase-1) and the Well Field Construction project in Tetulzhora-Bhakurta area of Savar Upazilla Phase-I.

She also called upon all to use rain harvesting or available surface water during irrigation of the cultivable lands, saying, “We have constructed 4,700 reservoirs to conserve rainwater while dredging is underway of all the important rivers for maintaining navigability as well as use those as water reservoirs.”

The premier also said that they desalinated 7,000 ponds by filtering the pond water and 32,600 deep tube wells have been installed in the saline-affected areas.

She said her government has been working to reach every civic amenities to each of the village people due to stop the tendency of going to the cities.

Highlighting the government initiative to ensure safe drinking water for all, the prime minister said, “Our government has prepared three master plans on water supply, sewerage and drainage systems alongside enacting Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Act, National Water Supply and Sanitation Act, 2014, adopting National Water Policy in 1999 and National Policy for Arsenic Mitigation and Implementation Plan.”

Referring to the successful implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the premier said, “Ensure Availability and Sustainable Management of Sanitation for all” is the goal 6 among 17 goals of the SDG-2030 declared by the United Nations. We have integrated the SDGs in the seventh five-year plan and are implementing it.”

Coming down heavily on the then BNP government for doing almost nothing to ensure safe drinking water, she said, “When we assumed office in 1996, we found Dhaka city is a city of “water scarcity” and we constructed Sayedabad Water Treatment Plant to put an end to the crisis. After coming to power again in 2009, we found the same situation and we then established Sayedabad Water Treatment Plant 2 and 3.”

The premier said her government has been working relentlessly to build Bangladesh a prosperous and developed one by 2041 in South Asia.

Dhaka city will receive a total of 600 million litres of water a day from the two plants, 450 million from Jashaldia plant and 150 million from Savar plant.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone at the construction site of the Gandharbpur Water Treatment Plant at Rupganj under Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply Project.

She said everyne should be careful over the use of water considering that a huge amount of money is being spent on water treatment.

“You all will show austerity in using water.” she said.

Noting that DWASA is a commercial service providing entity, she urged all to extend all-out cooperation to DWASA.

At the same time, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also directed DWASA to be more active and dynamic in implementing the development projects and goals for expanding the facilities for the city dwellers.

She asked DWASA to be sincere over maintenance of the newly-opened water plants and expediting the construction work of Gandharbpur Water Treatment Plant.

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam presided over the function, while Local Government Division Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming, South Korean Ambassador in Dhaka Hu Kang-il, ADB Country Director Manmohan Parkash and Dwasa Managing Director Taqsem A Khan spoke on the occasion.