Dhaka slums to come under water supply network by \\\'15: Ashraf

Local Government Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Minister Sayed Ashraful Islam told the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Tuesday that the government has taken a plan to bring all slums in the capital under water supply network by 2015, reports BSS.
Replying to a question from treasury bench member Morshed Alam, the minister said the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) has given 1300 water supply connections to 250 slums covering 70, 000 families or 0.315 million slum dwellers.
He said three separate master plans have already been prepared for ensuring supply of water and improving drainage and sewerage systems in the capital. To ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water to the city dwellers, the DWASA has taken steps to sink more deep tubewells and set up water treatment plants on priority basis, he added.
The minister said DWASA has already introduced online bill payment system and consumers are also now paying water bill through mobile phone. A call centre (16172) has already been set up to receive and solve complaints of consumers, he added.
Responding to a supplementary question from independent MP Haji Mohammad Selim, Sayed Ashraf said the city corporations face difficulty to meet the increasing demand of water because the population of the capital is increasing continuously.
Setting up of water treatment plants is very costly, he said, adding that besides, waters of the surrounding rivers of the capital are highly contaminated. However, the city corporation authorities are trying to solve water crisis by taking various alternative steps, he added.