People unaware as local govts inactive

"We have been using this latrine for long. We use water of the Chhora for household work," Baggodhon said bluntly.

When asked he said his family members are often attacked with diarrhoea and other intestinal diseases. But he does not know the reason.

Same is the case with most others in the village.

This is the usual scene in most of the villages in Rangamati and two other districts in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

Talking to the villagers, it was gathered that the lack of awareness is because neither the government nor the local bodies ever tried to make them conscious about sanitation and water borne diseases.

According to Unicef, only 12.4 percent people in Rangamati district use sanitary latrines, 16.5 percent use 'hanging latrines' and the rest defecate in the open.

The NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation made in a survey on 3785 families in Kawkhali and Zorachhori upazilas in the district. They found only five hygienic latrines in Kawkhali upazila, none in Zorachhori.

Thoaila Pru Karbari, headman of Borobili village under Betbunia union in Kawkhali said, "We can not depend on Union Parishad because we seldom get service from them".

However, the NGO Forum, with its five partner NGOs, has started work to bring under sanitation 1500 families in four upazilas in Rangamati district by 2007. The upazilas are Kaukhali, Borkal, Rajstholi and Zorachhori.

The NGO Forum started its field work in July last year and has formed 15 village development groups (VDGs). The sanitation programme is being implemented with involvement of local communities.

Rafiqul Islam Majumder, Unit Chief of the programme said, "We are now working to create awareness among people so that they can understand that sanitary latrine is unavoidable ".

The awareness programme includes holding of meeting with villagers involving the VDGs and distribution of posters and holding sessions in schools, Rafiqul said.

Scarcity of safe drinking water in the hills is another reason for lack of sanitation. According to Unicef, about 50 per cent people in hills use tubewell water and the rest depend on ponds and streams.

Dhormashova Chakma, was seen bathing near a ring-well at Sonaichhori village. "Earlier we used to go a long way to collect drinking water. Now we use the ringwell, dug by the NGO Forum.