The water we want - Salinity cripples life

Chopol (a pseudo Bengali name that means spontaneous), a two year old boy, who can be spontaneous and his laughter could make the house warm always. But unfortunately, it could not happen just because of his health condition. Since his birth he is suffering from bouts of pneumonia, diarrhea and dysentery.

Chopol’s parent lives in a village adjacent to the Sundarbans took him to the town for treatment, but no improvement was seen. Advised by doctors, Chopol was given bottled water bought from local market. His stomach behaved well the days when he drank bottled water. The family bought a 2-litre bottle of water for Chopol every alternate day. That meant his father had to spend about Taka 500 each month to buy bottled water for Chopol. The family could not bear the expense for more than four months.

Then the family turned to rain water and boiled pond water. It did not suit the boy. He got afflicted with the old diseases once again, says his mother. The nearest source of sweet water is 40-minute walk from her home. His mother used to collect water from this source before Chopol’s birth. That water did not suit him either.

The location of the pond-sand-filtered water, locally known as filter pond, takes an hour to reach from her home. She is too afraid to leave her baby alone at home to go that far to fetch safe drinking water. Her husband too can’t go leaving the shop. For a few days, the family bought water from a vendor, at Tk. 5 per pitcher. They stopped taking this water after dirt was found in it. Preserved rain water can last the three-member family up to two months.

With no other option Chopol’s family drinks water from the pond after boiling it and using potassium alum, locally known as fitkiri. “If boiled well, the water poses less risk of diarrhea. But dirt remains at the bottom; the water never gets completely clean. There is much dirt that we can’t see with our eyes. We feel bad. No mother can stay well if the child is sick. The mother gets sick too”, says his mother.

Scarcity of water is not merely a crisis anymore rather it is a question of life and death for the people.

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Donation Utilization:

Till now we have raised only $140 which is quite less for installing three small desalination plants at those villages. We have been able to support those poor people only because of your continued love and support.

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