Mukto Dhara

Mukto-Dhara is the potable water facility started recently by Mukti as another step for the welfare of the people of the Sunderbans.

 

While the Sunderbans hails as one of the most unique biospheres in India and Bangladesh, lying on the delta of three rivers at the majestic Bay of Bengal, recent times have shown a stark issue regarding the availability of potable water across this region. Over the past decade, this much revered UNESCO-recognised site has witnessed not only a drastic dip in the ground water table, but also a startling increase in the salinity of the local water sources. As a result, it is getting more and more difficult for the village inhabitants to procure suitable drinking water from these  sources with every passing season. The aftermath of the great cyclone Aila, that hit the eastern Indian coasts in 2009, bared a worsened situation , rendering potable water sources almost unusable and unfit for human consumption. With every year now,  conditions take a turn for the worst, especially during long spells of drought and floods.

 

Taking these problems into consideration, Mukti began the initiative of Mukto-Dhara (Bengali for an ‘unbound, unadultered stream’) on 11th November, 2018. Under this initiative, the excessively salinated water is first brought from the local natural sources, sent for treatment in a technologically advanced Tata water plant through a three-step purification process, and this treated water is then packaged in quantities of 500ml, 1l, 2l and 20l, to be sold at minimal prices as compared to the regular brands in the market. This is a humble step by Mukti towards ensuring a better accessibility of drinking water, and hence a better standard of living, to the residents of the Sunderbans.