About 60,000 students of 146 institutions in Muksudpur upazila of Gopalganj district have been suffering from fresh water crisis due to arsenic contamination in groundwater.
According to sources, tube wells of the institutions had been marked with red colour by a non government organization about 8-10 years ago. But now there is no red sign on the tube wells as the colour had been washed way for several reasons.
The tub wells also have no pitcher filter system for obtaining pure water.
Inhabitants of the upazila demand arsenic-free tube wells for their safety. They become angry when they see health workers or outsiders coming to advise them.
They say only after arsenic-free tube wells have been installed, they would talk to them.
According to health engineering department sources, arsenic test cannot be conducted for the tube wells in 43 high schools and 103 primary schools in the upazila due to fund shortage.
The officials overseeing groundwater, said that an extensive survey should be carried out in the area that is known to be arsenic-prone.
The sources said 91 primary schools out of 194 had been given pitcher-filter and the rest would be given gradually.
People in the upazila have been chronically exposed to arsenic in their drinking water, which is considered as a great threat to public health.
Students and teachers of SJ High School and Pilot School alleged that they had to face the problem of drinking water as the tube wells of the schools have been lying uncared for long time.
While many schools were visited it was found that there was some sort of arrangements of drinking water as the tube wells were arsenic contaminated.
Teacher Suil Kumer of SJ High School said they had to fetch water from a tube well in a madrasa near by.
“We have informed the matter to the higher authority,” he said.
“The students and youngsters must be educated on the importance of fresh water and should be taught to use it consciously,” he also said.
It is predicted that the people in the area face water crises due to arsenic problem. By the development of new technologies many a governmental and non governmental organisation are working to mitigate the effect of such a crisis, said an officer of the department.
The guardians of these schools alleged they had to buy fresh water bottle from the shops for their kids as there is no drinking water in their schools.
Upazila Family Planning Officer AR Das said:“Tube well water in the upazila is suffering from a high level of arsenic concentration.”
“The water of the tube wells is vulnerable to human health,” he said.
Upazila Primary School Education Officer Nazrul Islam said: “The government should take step for setting up arsenic contamination free deep tube wells in these schools immediately.”
