The New Nation - Internet Edition

Tapan Chakraborty, Barisal

Two problems that are besetting the people of Barisal city most at the moment are lack of public transport within Barisal city and paucity of drinking water.

There was a proposal in 2005 for installation of a water treatment plant in the city with the help of Japanese experts. But the proposal could not be materialised due to lack of fund which was proposed to be supplied also by Japan. As a result there is severe scarcity of drinking water in the city even in this rainy season. Many middle class and affluent people have installed tubewells in their house but this may have a telling effect upon the environment.

The other problem is lack of conveyance within the city. Slow morning rickshaws and a handful of two-stroke auto rickshaw numbering less than fifty are hardly enough for the city of 33 square mile and having a population of more than five lakhs. Rickshaw fares are also exorbitantly high and ordinary people can hardly afford it. There had been strong demand from all quarters for introduction of minibus but so far without any result. These two issues should be looming factors in the forthcoming city corporation election.