Staff Correspondent

The tin roof of the house is rusted and has holes in many places.  Tin fence, wood, tin doors and windows are also dilapidated.  It can collapse at any time.  The cement poles of the house have fallen.  There is no toilet, damp and smelly environment in every room, such is the pitiful condition of the cluster village of Barerarchar in Devidwar Municipal area of Cumilla .  Even after 27 years of construction, the huge 10-room house in Guchchagram has not been renovated even once.  Among them, 10 families are living an inhumane life at risk. On Wednesday afternoon, it was seen on the ground that the doors and windows of the house were broken.  Children are playing on the floor of the house in a damp and dirty environment.  The stench is spreading all around.  A toilet has become unusable due to vandalism. Residents of Guchchagram said that within 2 years of our arrival, the houses were destroyed.  House pillars, doors and windows are broken.  A tubewell also got damaged long ago.  Only one toilet was damaged.  I have been living in this condition for 27 years.  Some have hung polythene on top and bottom of tin rice to prevent rain water in monsoon and fog in winter.  They have also put polythene on the broken fence to save from light and wind.  The floor of the house and the ground of the balcony are moving.  They have no end of suffering in living in these houses. Shafali, Kabir, Hafiz, Rafiq, residents of Guchchagram said that the tubewell for drinking water is broken.  After a few days we repair with our own money, there is no toilet.  Living in a dirty and smelly environment spreads diseases.  Some of us are beggars, some are day laborers, some are rickshaw-van drivers.  Everyone eats day by day.  We cannot repair the house with money.  These houses have become dilapidated due to lack of repair for 25 years.  I am living in these houses without getting the means. Mayor of Devidwar Municipality Saiful Islam Shamim said, I have visited Barerarchar cluster village.  People are living very hard there.  Houses will be renovated and new toilets and tubewells will be installed for the residents. 

DCT/OL/AH/END