The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) blamed Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA) for the frequent disruption in water supply in different parts of the capital city during the holy month of Ramadan.

The city life becomes paralyzed due to recent water crisis despite the authorities' assurance to maintain smooth supply during Ramadan.

"DESA is 90 percent responsible for the present water crisis as water supply is being disrupted due to heavy load shedding," a top WASA official told UNB staff correspondent Jubair Hasan when asked about the severe water crisis in areas like part of New Eskaton, Kalabagan, Indira Road, Sheorapara, Kazipara and Senpara in Mirpur.

New Eskaton, Sheorapara, Kazipara, Senpara and old Dhaka are the worst affected areas without any water supply for the last five days. The situation in the areas reached such a pass that the mosque authorities request the 'musallis' (devotees) over the mike to make ablution from outside.

The official said there would be no water crisis in the city if WASA is given 2 percent of electricity that DESA gets for the capital city. "So, the main problem behind the water crisis is short supply of electricity," the WASA official said over telephone from Panthakunja water pump Friday afternoon.

He said Dhaka WASA now has a total of 232 generators to supply water during load shedding. But most of the generators are out of order, as the nearly 50 percent of the generators were procured before 1996.

"So, it has become difficult to continue water supply with these obsolete generators. We're operating those through frequent repairs."

He said WASA is planning to have gas generators, but those will be available from the next season.

The official said water pumps at Hazaribagh, Tejgaon and Shyampur were denied adequate power supply, but nearby industrial units get uninterrupted supply. "Dhaka WASA provides Tk 90 crore as tax each year," he said.

Rejecting the WASA allegation, a DESA chief engineer said: "It's our character to often shift blame on other's shoulders by hiding our own weakness or shortcomings."

He said the demand of electricity has been rising in the city while production did not increase at all. "How can we ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity?"

Hasina Begum, a housewife in New Eskaton area, said she could not take bath for last two days, nor could she wash clothes during this holy month of Ramadan as they did not get water for last four days.

She said people in the area even could not drink adequate water during Sehri making people's life miserable. "We get some water just before iftar but then we've a long wait before we get water again at about 9 am."

Mustafizur Rahman, a house owner in the area, said pressed repeatedly by his tenants he went to the Dhaka WASA head office to find out the reason behind the perennial water problem, but did not get any cooperation from the WASA officials.

"It's very tough for people of such areas to do fasting without water. On Wednesday night, I could not even drink a glass of water during Sehri," he said.

Many residents in the water-starved areas said they go to the houses of relatives and friends in other areas to take bath and wash clothes.