The Daily Star, July 6, 2004


Kolaroa Arsenic Mitigation Project unutilised due to 'political pressure'
Our Correspondent, Satkhira

A project to supply arsenic-free water in Kolaroa municipality is unutilised after 
completion to most of the work.

The Tk 18 lakh project was scheduled to be commissioned in May this year. 

It is supposed to supply arsenic-free water to about 30,000 residents as all the 
tube wells in nine wards in the pourasabha are highly contaminated with arsenic, 
according to DPHE (Public Health Engineering Department) sources. 

As the pourasabha lacked required logistics, Bogra Rural Development Academy (RDA) 
come forward with assistance.


The Bogra RDA gave Tk 18 lakh interest free loan to a local NGO--JESH Foundation--to 
implement the project. The loan is repayable in 10 years in 20 installments.


The project included construction of a overhead tank, a water treatment plant, sinking 
of a deep tubewell and laying at of 2500 feet PVC pipeline from the project site to the town.


Kalaroa Pourasabha leased six decimal land to JESH Foundation for 15 years for the 
project on annual payment of Tk 1500.


As per agreement signed with JESH, the pourasabha will bear the cost of laying the 
PVC pipeline in the town and get 40 percent of the profit from the project.


Ruling BNP lawmaker Habibul Islam Habib had inaugurated the construction work in 
December 12 last year.


Construction of overhead tank and treatment was completed by April this year.


The pourasabha floated a tender for the Tk 5,50,000 PVC pipe laying work in the town in February.


Ten firms bid for the work. But the pourasava authorities cancelled the tender allegedly 
without showing any reason. The pipeline work is now suspended.


It is alleged that the pourasabha authorities cancelled the tender following pressure from 
the ruling party lawmaker. 

On contact, Kalaroa UNO Laxman Chandra Sutradhar, who is also the Pourasabha Adminis-trator 
said, he was compelled to cancel the tender due to "political pressure".


When contacted over cell phone, Habibul Islam Habib denied the allegation and said he knows 
nothing about the project.