Sensible urban planning is critical to the healthy growth of cities. Unplanned growth leads a number of problems, create misery for urban dwellers and make remedying of those difficulties. Yet flawed urban planning is little better, or perhaps worse, than no urban planning at all. It is thus important, when taking on such an enormous task as the drafting of an Urban Area Plan for a Pourashava, to ensure that the plan is well considered and likely to be conducive to good health and well-being of the urban dwellers.

During the year 1984 to 2003, Urban Development Directorate (UDD) was prepared a series of Landuse/Master Plans for Upazila and Zila Shahars of Bangladesh as a part of decentralization effort of the government. Under that project, the Bauphal Upazila Shahar was planned but the project area considered in the plan was far away from the planning area considered in the Pourashava Town Infrastructure Development Project.

The Pourashava is too poor in urban services. With the development of physical condition of the Pourashava, substantial involvement will be needed for those services. Drinking water supply, sewerage and sanitation facilities and dumping of solid wastes should be emphasized as primary consideration. Absence of solid waste dumping ground creates health hazards. Absence of covered drain and sewerage system creates sanitation problem. Those problems should be removed through proper planning and design.

Water Supply

Almost all the households are using hand tubewell as main source of drinking water and cooking purposes. In total, 4587 hand tubewells are in the Pourashava and a pump house. At least 72% households are using hand tubewell and 2.9% supply water; all are those for government employees. About 95% residents are using canal and pond water for washing and bathing purposes. A good number of hand tubewell is available in the Pourashava but most of them are contaminated with iron and salinity. Ground water level during dry and wet seasons are 32ft and 20ft respectively.

Demand analysis

Existing utility facilities of the Pourashava are not sufficient and established without following any standard. Following standards have considered for future demand with ensuring the quality and quantity of utility facilities.

Table-13.1: Standard of utility facilities and future need