Khagrachhari: People living in remote areas of the hill district are facing acute shortage of water.

Their only source of water is small streams which dry up in summer. Locals say they have to travel for miles to collect water from brooks, reports the UNB.

In some areas near the Khagrachhari-Dighinala road, a large number of women were seen waiting for hours to collect water from a small stream. Many of them had come from remote areas.

Sixty-year-old Haten Boishnob and Doli Tripura, 40, were among them. They said water shortage forced them to go without taking baths for days together.

Rajesh Tripura, a local, said the brook was the lone source of water for about 450 families of Chandrakiron Karbari Para, Amtoli and Atmile Joutha Khamar areas.

When the water crisis news reached the Army, they promptly took steps to distribute water in places their vehicles could go.

Topu Tripura, a teacher at Noymile Tripura Para Junior Secondary School, said water scarcity was affecting them, too. 

‘We’ve told the students to bring water from their homes. Whatever they bring is used to meet the demand for drinking water at the school. But it’s not enough,’ he said.

Topu said they could not use the toilet as there is no enough water. ‘Female students are the worst sufferers,’ he added, requesting the authorities concerned to take immediate steps.