Assessment of NGO interventions on water supply and sanitation in selected slums of Dhaka city

Abstract

Dhaka City, being the administrative, commercial and cultural capital of Bangladesh serves as the nerve center of the country. The capital of Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated cities in the South-Asia. Due to rapid urbanization, the city has turned into 26th Mega City and 10th most populous City.of the world. Rapid population growth creates extra pressure on the housing and land market of overcrowded Dhaka City. As a result, housing becomes a problem with indiscriminate proliferation of slums and squatters. The unsanitary and unhygienic conditions of these settlements as well as inadequate infrastructure and services lead to degradation of enviromnental conditions and increase in pollution, poverty, crimc, etc. Most of the natural drainage systcm of Dhaka City has already disappeared or arc in the way of losing their existence due to unauthorized occupation through encroachment. These encroachments are taking place mostly through the unplanned development, unauthorized land filling to develop new residential areas, industrial and commercial activities, uncontrolled and haphazard disposal of solid wastes and garbage into the existing water bodies. The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the impacts of different slum improvement projects carried out by different NGOs on water supply, sanitation and hygiene condition of selected slums in Dhaka city. The study reveals that the NGOs are playing an important role in water supply and sanitation and hygiene sectors in Dhaka City's slwns. Most of the slums do not have proper water supply. They usually buy water or collect water from nearby pipeline or any other sources, which is time consuming and problematic. Many NGOs try to improve water supply in many slums providing water point with the help of DWASA. They also provide sanitary latrines in slums which create healthy environment and decrease water borne diseases like diahorrea, dysentry, col era, etc. This study revealed that in a number of slums some local NGOs have constructed water points, each of which is serving about 20 to 35 families; whereas before the NGO intcrvcntion, each watcr point served 50 to 70 familics. Before NGO intcrvention, slum dwellers had only a few number of hanging latrines and now they have NGO madc sanitary latrines one for per 20 to 35 fan1i1ies. In Kamalapur slum there is no NGO activity and in Merul slum, NGO activities are limited only in healtheare sector and not in water supply or sanitation sector. Significant percentage of slum dwellers are satisfied with the NGO interventions in water supply and sanitation sector.