Rajshahi, June 16 (V7N) – A crucial water supply and sanitation project in Katakhali Municipality, Paba Upazila, Rajshahi, launched in 2020 with a budget of Tk 23.2 crore, remains unfinished five years after its scheduled 1.5-year completion period. The delay has left thousands of residents without access to piped potable water, sparking widespread frustration.

The project, part of the Water Supply and Sanitation Project (BMWSSP) across 30 municipalities nationwide, is being implemented by the Department of Public Health Engineering under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, with funding from the Government of Bangladesh (GOB), World Bank, and AIB.

The water supply work is divided into two segments handled by different contractors. Sara Enterprise is responsible for the distribution pipeline network (Tk 10.7 million), and Messrs. Kabir Hossain and Mercus Don Enterprise are managing the transmission section, which involves lifting and supplying water to the overhead tank (Tk 12 million). Despite initial work periods of 18 months, later extended to 24 months, neither company has completed their respective tasks in five years.

Records show that Sara Enterprise has withdrawn Tk 8.46 million out of Tk 10.7 million, while Messrs. Kabir Hossain and Mercus Don Enterprise have drawn Tk 10 million out of Tk 12 million.

The project aims to provide pure water through pipelines to 6,500 families in Katakhali Municipality. To date, 5,000 families have registered for connections, each paying a registration fee of Tk 200.

On-ground observations reveal that construction of a large overhead tank in Dewanpara is still ongoing, with pipes visible nearby. However, individual household connections are yet to be provided.

Local residents expressed deep dissatisfaction, stating they have no information on when they will receive water connections. They alleged that repeated verbal complaints to the municipality regarding the slow pace of work have yielded no solutions.

Sajedul Islam, a resident of Shyampur area, Ward No. 7, highlighted the severity of the water shortage. "We have a severe water problem here. We use water from the well. Even that water is not available during drought. It has been a long time and the work on this overhead tank has not been completed. I don't even know when I will get water."

Mariam Begum, a housewife from the same area, echoed the sentiment. "In addition to the daily water needs of our homes, we also need a lot of water for our livestock. We have a lot of trouble getting water from tubewells. I was very happy to hear that the municipality would provide water to our homes. But so far I have not received water. Even though I paid 200 taka in the name of registration, I have not even received water, let alone a pipe, in my house."

The project's billing structure involves a Tk 200 registration fee, a connection fee of Tk 500 for half-inch pipes, and Tk 700 for three-quarter-inch pipes. Water usage is charged at Tk 10 per unit (1,000 liters).

Shamsur Rahman Shantanu, representing Mercus Kabir Hossain and Dawn Enterprise for the transmission part of the project, attributed the delays to the COVID-19 pandemic (two years) and the authorities' failure to provide specific areas for overhead tank construction. He expressed hope to complete the work by the end of June. Efforts to contact Salahuddin Sohag, working on the distribution pipeline for Sara International, were unsuccessful.

Katakhali Municipality Engineer Monirul Islam declined to comment on the work's progress but stated that the municipality would take over responsibility once the project is completed.

Mamunur Rashid Majumder, Deputy Project Director (DPD) of the Public Health Engineering Department, acknowledged the significant delays due to COVID-19. He also noted a six-month period when the municipality was managed by administrators and officials instead of an elected mayor and councilors. Despite these challenges, he claimed about 95% of the project is complete and expects full completion within September.

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