Existing water resources need to be conserved in Barind area

RAJSHAHI: Existing water resources in the region including its vast Barind tract must be protected and conserved and need-oriented water rules and policies has become indispensable to this end, reports BSS.
“Recommendations and suggestions need to be taken from the grassroots level stakeholders and other working officials and researchers concerned before formulating any water related law and policy”, said Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury, chairman of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), here yesterday.
The issue of vulnerabilities caused by abnormal declining of both underground and surface water resources in the dried area has become a grave concern. So, there is no alternative to formulate time-fitting policy, he said.
Dr Akram Chowdhury was addressing a consultative workshop titled “Draft Water Rules 2015 to Implement Bangladesh Water Act 2015” held in the BMDA conference room as chief guest.
Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO) and Development Association for Self-reliance, Communication and Health (DASCOH) jointly organised the workshop with the main thrust of collecting opinions and suggestions from the stakeholders to make the rules effective and meaningful so that it can be used for development of the nation.
During his concept paper presentation, Engineer Rezaul Karim, Project Director of WARPO, gave an overview of the draft water rules and water act.
With BMDA Executive Director Engineer Abdur Rashid in the chair, DASCOH Executive Director Akramul Haque, BMDA Superintending Engineer Shamsul Huda, Project Director (Agriculture) ATM Rafiqul Islam and water researcher Razzaqul Islam from Institute of Bangladesh Studies in Rajshahi University also spoke.
Dr Akram Chowdhury said the climate change has been acknowledged as the depletion of natural resources and as a major threat to the humanity and urged the policy planners and others concerned to take immediate effective measures to address the adverse impact.
Substantial and sustainable promotion of water and sanitation related modern technologies have become the demand of time. The Padma River needs a capital dredging.
“If the width of the river is reduced and depth increased, the river will be useful for surface water irrigation as well as resist increase of salinity in the region,” he said.
He further said the dried area has been seeing drought conditions with gradual increase of extreme weather conditions, sharp declining in groundwater table and decreasing rate of rainfall.
Dr Chowdhury puts emphasis on groundwater recharging by enriching the surface water resources through necessary excavation and re-excavation of the derelict ponds and canals and treatment of the water on an emergency basis.

Existing water resources need to be conserved in Barind area

RAJSHAHI: Existing water resources in the region including its vast Barind tract must be protected and conserved and need-oriented water rules and policies has become indispensable to this end, reports BSS. Recommendations and suggestions need to be taken from the grassroots level stakeholders and other working officials and researchers concerned before formulating any water related law and policy, said Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury, chairman of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), here yesterday. The issue of vulnerabilities caused by abnormal declining of both underground and surface water resources in the dried area has become a grave concern. So, there is no alternative to formulate time-fitting policy, he said. Dr Akram Chowdhury was addressing a consultative workshop titled Draft Water Rules 2015 to Implement Bangladesh Water Act 2015 held in the BMDA conference room as chief guest. Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO) and Development Association for Self-reliance, Communication and Health (DASCOH) jointly organised the workshop with the main thrust of collecting opinions and suggestions from the stakeholders to make the rules effective and meaningful so that it can be used for development of the nation. During his concept paper presentation, Engineer Rezaul Karim, Project Director of WARPO, gave an overview of the draft water rules and water act. With BMDA Executive Director Engineer Abdur Rashid in the chair, DASCOH Executive Director Akramul Haque, BMDA Superintending Engineer Shamsul Huda, Project Director (Agriculture) ATM Rafiqul Islam and water researcher Razzaqul Islam from Institute of Bangladesh Studies in Rajshahi University also spoke. Dr Akram Chowdhury said the climate change has been acknowledged as the depletion of natural resources and as a major threat to the humanity and urged the policy planners and others concerned to take immediate effective measures to address the adverse impact. Substantial and sustainable promotion of water and sanitation related modern technologies have become the demand of time. The Padma River needs a capital dredging. If the width of the river is reduced and depth increased, the river will be useful for surface water irrigation as well as resist increase of salinity in the region, he said. He further said the dried area has been seeing drought conditions with gradual increase of extreme weather conditions, sharp declining in groundwater table and decreasing rate of rainfall. Dr Chowdhury puts emphasis on groundwater recharging by enriching the surface water resources through necessary excavation and re-excavation of the derelict ponds and canals and treatment of the water on an emergency basis.