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CPD-Prothom
Alo-The Daily Star dialogue in Rajshahi
Accent
on surface water use
Regional
consultation meeting at Rajshahi
Staff
Correspondent
18 May 2003
Speakers at a dialogue here
yesterday stressed immediate
implementation of the proposed
North Rajshahi Irrigation Project
(NRIP) to use surface water
to reduce the massive use of
underground water by the Barind
Multipurpose Development Authority
(BMDA) in Rajshahi region. They
also criticised the government
patronisation of the Barind
project which, they claimed,
was affecting the region's environment
and also exploiting the marginal
farmers. They called for an
impartial evaluation of the
project.
The speakers also noted that
the government recently allocated
Tk 750 crore to expand the Barind
project while the Tk 400 crore
NRIP could not be launched for
fund crisis. These views were
expressed at the second session
of the regional consultation
of the National Policy Review
Forum 2003 on 'Environment Policy'
held at the Parjatan Motel auditorium. Former
vice-chancellor of Rajshahi
University (RU) Dr Saidur Rahman
Khan was chief guest at the
dialogue, co-organised by the
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD),
The Daily Star and the Prothom
Alo.
Experts from the RU, farmers'
leaders of the Barind region
and NGO workers spoke at the
dialogue, chaired by Prof. Mushfik
Ahmed of geology and mining
department at the RU. Prof. AK
Enamul Haque of economics department
at the North South University
presented a draft taskforce
report on environment policy
at the session. Convenor of
Rajshahi Nagorik Committee Golam
Arif Tipu was present as special
guest. Quoting experts' reports,
President of Rajshahi Protection
Movement Parishad Zamat Khan
said use of surface water has
become a must to check desertification
of Rajshahi region. He claimed
that the Barind project virtually
aimed at exploiting marginal
farmers using political influence. "Brother
of an influential minister in
the BNP government has been
controlling the project, which
is affecting the Barind people
through abuse of water,"
he said.
Workers Party leader Fazle Hossain
Badsha said, " The Barind
project has become a curse for
people of the region in two
ways -- first, their socio-economic
condition has deteriorated sharply
as they are to pay higher prices
for ground water and second,
massive use of groundwater has
severely affected the ecology."
Farmers' leader from Tanore
upazila Lutfar Rahman said too
much use of arsenic- and iron-contaminated
groundwater and pesticides is
destroying fertility of land
in the Barind region.
RU, said the Barind project
does not follow the principles
of sustainable development and
it affects environment. Prof.
Shamsul Alam of the Bangladesh
Institute of Technology, Chittagong,
suggested legal action against
people destroying environment
of the region.Prof. Enamul Haque
said the government is yet to
take effective steps to combat
arsenic contamination although
water from about 27 per cent
of tube-wells in the country
is arsenic-contaminated and
around 2.8 crore people suffer
from arsenic-related diseases.
Prof. Hasan Imam of the RU emphasised
formulating a fresh policy after
extensive research on Barind
land. Prof. Saidur Rahman Khan
stressed strict enforcement
of the environmental laws. He
also called for a united movement
against the Barind project as
it failed to benefit people
of the region. Editor of the
Prothom Alo Motiur Rahman thanked
the participants at the discussion.
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