A cluster village project, titled as guchchhagram project in Jhenidah Sadar upazila, brought urban image in rural villages. The inmates of the villages have been availing health-friendly latrines, tube wells and other civic facilities in their decorated houses. The villages from a far view now looks beautiful with blue colour.
The second phase of climate victim rehabilitation project (CVRP) of the ministry of land had made the facilities for the homeless, as well as landless poor in the district. The inmates have expressed their great satisfaction over the housing for their own.
During a visit to a guchchhagram project at Gilabaria village of Paglakanai union parishad of Jhenidah Sadar upazila, this correspondent was informed that each and every person in the housing was living on others land or on government fallow land as they did not have any land for their own.
Inmates Raban Kumar Sarker, 37, Joyanti Sarker, 33, Biplab Sarker, 27, Rama Rani Sarker and other said they belong to almost untouchable community people who virtually did not have easy access to the society.
Most of them have been leading their lives working in as cropland labourers, godown labourers, rickshaw or van pullers and such professions. They showed their newly transplanted saplings of mango, guava, dragon and some others fruit bearing plants at their courtyard which will ensure nutrition for their children. The children of the ever neglected family members started attending in school when they had the facilities.
The tin-shed house with brick made wall, an attached bathroom and other facilities have ensured their safe living in the cluster village of 10 families. As the village is located near Jhenidah-Harinakundu road, about four kilometers from the district headquarters, has ensured work for them.
According to the office sources of upazila nirbahi officer, they have accommodated 10 families at Ekota guchchhagram project at Gilabaria in Paglakanai, 18 families at Chandli project in Madhuhati, six families at Samlosa project in Kumrabaria and 15 families at Bismillah guchchhagram project at Kalamankhali of Dogachhi union. The estimated cost of each house was Taka 1.5 lakh, sources said.
UNO of Jhenidah Sadar, Shammi Islam said each of the project was selected near the main roads for better road and other communications. So that the inmates might avail themselves of all facilities staying at their own homes. The homeless families have already started staying in the houses when they were constructed by June last. They are waiting for the inaugural ceremony at any day as the authority desires.
Following the supply of electricity for the housing, UNO said initially they installed solar panel to remove darkness from the area during night. They are planning to connect power for each of the family with a easy communicable road there.
Shammi Islam said they had rescheduled the design of the houses to brick wall as against tin-made fencing. Further, the floor of the houses were completed with concrete as against mud ones to ensure health-friendly environment for the once have-nots. Jhenidiah Deputy Commissioner Saroj Kumar Nath has been keeping his eyes to ensure quality work for the interest of the people of cluster villages, UNO added.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Jhenidiah Saroj Kumar Nath when contacted said the guchchhagram project will ensure homes for the have-nots as per the election pledges of the Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina to ensure shelter for all. It will also enrich their socio-economic base towards a better living.
