Abstract:
A Dutch aided project, under the Netherlands-Bangladesh development Cooperation,
has been in operation in Mehrpur pourashava since July 1994.
This study present an assessment of the impacts of the on-going water
supply, drainage & sanitation activities on the health situation of the pourapeople,
investigation, into the present population coverage by project's
components and some recommendations for the improvement of the project's
components, which may improve the health situation of the people further.
Though some rehabilitation and new construction works under water supply
have been done under the project, Meherpur town is still facing with drinking
water problem. Initially the project's objectives were to ensure 75% piped
water to the poura-area and rest 25% by ground water through hand tube
wells. Within these three years span of time the target has not been fulfilled .
Piped water coverage has been achieved to 15.4% only. Moreover, the
arsenic content of ground water (100 to 160 microgram per liter) is an
emerging problem for which arsenic removal plant is going to be installed
soon. With the arsenic treatment plant, an over head tank is also going to be
installed. For total coverage by treated water, more production tube wells,
over head tank, pipe lines etc. are essential.
The investigation has been made on the present trend of drainage system of
Meherpur town. The old drains have been rehabilitated and some new drains
have been constructed with a view to evacuate all the waste water from the
town but the town is still facing water logging problem. The total drainage
system has been investigated to find out the ways of easy drain out of all
rain I waste water from the poura area. The investigation has been made to
assess the sanitation facilities within the poura-area. The projects target was
to ensure proper sanitation facilities to the poura-people. Some low cost
sanitary latrines were distributed within these three years time span of project
but the area is still facing a big sanitation problems. Hygiene education is an
integral part of the project and the target was to improve the total system by
increasing people's awareness through hygiene education. Investigation has been made on incidences waterborne diseases in Meherpur
town as an indicator to change in health situation. Inspite of poor water
supply and sanitation coverage some improvement has been found through
the study of secondary data available with the sadar hospital, Mother & Child
welfare centre & thana health office (Pourashava section). Full
implementation of all the project components and increase in the population
coverage are expected to further improve the health situation in the Paura
Area.
