Unsafe bottled water in different names is being sold in the city streets, bus and launch terminals for a long time but the relevant authorities seem indifferent to
the need for taking effective steps to stop it.
Street hawkers, mainly slum children, are seen selling these bottle waters or soft drinks like ‘lemon drink’ or Civita to pedestrians in the presence of law enforcers.
Besides, small shop-owners and vendors are also selling drinking water from jars at roadside shops and hotels, which undoubtedly pose a health risk to city dwellers.
Touhidul Islam, a lime drink seller at Mouchak turn, told New Age that he sells a glass for Tk 5. ‘Everyday I collect the water from the Dhaka Water Supply and
Sewerage Authority’s pipelines,’ he said.
A roadside shop-owner at Kalyanpur, Rahmat Mia, said it needs one taka to get a glass of water from his shop. ‘I usually get this water
from Wasa’s pipeline at my home,’ he said.
The Dhaka South City Corporation’s chief health officer, Mohammad Abdullah Al Harun, told New Age that these drinking waters could be a threat to public health.
‘We are operating mobile courts regularly against the selling of unsafe drinking water,’ he said, adding that the corporation recently conducted a 47-day drive against
roadside illegal structures which were also risky for public health.
‘You know it is not possible for us to monitor it in all the areas. But we take action against some dishonest traders which also alerts others,’ he added.
The Dhaka North City Corporation’s chief health officer, Nur-un-Nabi, told New Age that the DNCC was operating mobile courts daily against illegal structures and
unhealthy foods and drinking water.
‘We monitor and take action against roadside hotels, restaurants and vans which sell unhealthy water and foods,’ he said.
Nur-un-Nabi said that the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution should also follow their footprints and take action against the guilty parties.
Taher Jamil, BSTI’s administration department’s deputy director, said they regularly check the selling of unsafe drinking water in the city.
‘We have the responsibility to take action
against roadside shops, hotels and restaurants that endanger public health,’ he added.
-With New Age input
