Rains render hundreds homeless in Jessore villages
Photo shows some people at makeshift huts along the road in Monirampur, Jessore UNB
UNB
Publish : 18 Oct 2021, 11:54 AMUpdate : 18 Oct 2021, 11:54 AM
Just a couple of hours of downpour is enough to make the lives of those living along the Bhabdah beel in Jessore's Monirampur upazila miserable.
But this year, the monsoon rains have been particularly unkind to the residents of more than 80 villages along the beel.
The root of the problem is a poor drainage network.
With clogged drains and the onrush of beel water leading to massive waterlogging in these villages, hundreds of families have been rendered homeless.
Some of these families are now living in makeshift huts along the busy Manirampur-Nawapara road waiting for the floodwaters to recede.
UNB recently visited three such villages -- Sujatpur, Bajekultia, Hatgacha -- as well as the Manirampur-Nawapara road to witness the plight of these displaced families.
In the villages, we found affected residents wading through the squalid waters to reach their homes -- posing high public health risks to the entire region.
At the makeshift huts, the situation was not much different. Bereft of clean water, the displaced families were left with no option but to wash their utensils in this dirty water.
Both in the villages and at the camps, we found the affected families grappling with the drinking water crisis.
"We are facing an acute shortage of pure drinking water. As waterlogging persists, the fear of water-borne diseases looms," said Narayan Mallik, a Hatgacha resident.
Their repeated pleas to the authorities concerned, the residents claimed, have only fallen on deaf ears. "The authorities seemed to be least bothered," said Kartik Manda.
Local Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Shekhar Chandra Roy, however, assured that steps would be taken to install a deep tubewell in the region soon to mitigate the sufferings of the people.
When contacted, Monirampur Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO) Syed Zakir Hossain said the local public health department has been asked to take steps immediately.
Rains render hundreds homeless in Jessore villages
Just a couple of hours of downpour is enough to make the lives of those living along the Bhabdah beel in Jessore's Monirampur upazila miserable.
But this year, the monsoon rains have been particularly unkind to the residents of more than 80 villages along the beel.
The root of the problem is a poor drainage network.
With clogged drains and the onrush of beel water leading to massive waterlogging in these villages, hundreds of families have been rendered homeless.
Some of these families are now living in makeshift huts along the busy Manirampur-Nawapara road waiting for the floodwaters to recede.
UNB recently visited three such villages -- Sujatpur, Bajekultia, Hatgacha -- as well as the Manirampur-Nawapara road to witness the plight of these displaced families.
In the villages, we found affected residents wading through the squalid waters to reach their homes -- posing high public health risks to the entire region.
At the makeshift huts, the situation was not much different. Bereft of clean water, the displaced families were left with no option but to wash their utensils in this dirty water.
Both in the villages and at the camps, we found the affected families grappling with the drinking water crisis.
"We are facing an acute shortage of pure drinking water. As waterlogging persists, the fear of water-borne diseases looms," said Narayan Mallik, a Hatgacha resident.
Their repeated pleas to the authorities concerned, the residents claimed, have only fallen on deaf ears. "The authorities seemed to be least bothered," said Kartik Manda.
Local Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Shekhar Chandra Roy, however, assured that steps would be taken to install a deep tubewell in the region soon to mitigate the sufferings of the people.
When contacted, Monirampur Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO) Syed Zakir Hossain said the local public health department has been asked to take steps immediately.
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