Khulna Wasa drive for arrear bills thwarted
City dwellers demand smooth water supply first
Khulna Water and Sewerage Authority's (Wasa) recent drive to realise outstanding bills has apparently failed due to sharp reaction from people who are crying for steady supply of water.
Aggrieved people assaulted Commercial Manager of Khulna Wasa Khademul Islam when he went to Tootpara area on April 19 with a 17-member team including policemen to realise outstanding bills from city dwellers.
On April 21, the same team of Wasa returned to office without any drive in Shaikhpara area in the face of opposition by locals.
"Under the circumstances, it has become quite impossible for us to continue the drive," said Khademul Islam, also head of the 17-member team formed to realise the outstanding bills.
There is apprehension that people will become more violent if police goes into action to help WASA realise outstanding bills before solving serious water crisis prevailing in the city for the last two months, said Ajmol Ahmed Tapon, panel mayor-1 of Khulna City Corporation (KCC).
People of about eighty percent areas under 31 wards of KCC do not get even one-third of their required water supply and WASA officials are quite aware of people's untold suffering due to the situation, he said.
"We are concerned about security while launching any drive to realise bills from the people who do not get water to meet even 30 per cent of their need?" said a sub-assistant engineer of Wasa requesting anonymity.
Managing Director of Khulna Wasa Md Abdullah told this correspondent on Saturday that there is no alternative to launching drive against those who did not pay bills during last ten years.
Wasa does not have the ability to supply more than one crore gallon of water a day against the need of three crore gallons for 16 lakh people of Khulna city, he said.
Many tube-wells are not functioning as underground water level has gone down, said Jaglul Haider Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director of Khulna Wasa.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments