PM to head committee on river management project

---

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Friday said the government is taking initiative to formulate an integrated policy and plan to save the country's environment and rivers from pollution and preserve the water resources, reports UNB.
She also said that the government would soon start a massive long-term project for river management under a committee headed by the Prime Minister.
"Steps will be taken for river dredging, controlling flood and river erosion, and protecting forests and biodiversity."
The Prime Minister said this while speaking at the opening ceremony of 'World Environment Day-2009' at Osmani Memorial auditorium in the city Friday.
State Minister for Environment and Forests Mostafizur Rahman presided over the function, also addressed, among others, by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Hasan Mahmud, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment and Forests Abdul Momin Talukder and acting secretary of the Ministry Dr Mihir Kanti Majumder.
Gowher Ali Tikader, an ultra-poor from Naogaon district, and three institutions-The Daily Star, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and Square Knit Fabrics-were given National Environment Awards at the function for their outstanding contribution towards protecting environment and in introducing environment-friendly technology in the country.
Besides, the Prime Minister also distributed prizes among the winners of painting and essay competitions held on the occasion of the World Environment Day.
This year, the theme of the Environment Day is "Your Planet Needs You: Unite to Combat Climate Change."
At the end of the programme, the Prime Minister inaugurated a two-day 'environment fair' on the second floor of the Osmani Memorial auditorium.
Sheikh Hasina said all rivers in the country, which are filled up with silts, would be rescued through capital and maintenance dredging.
The committee on the river dredging project will comprise Finance and Agriculture Ministers and all top officials concerned, she said.
"The river management project will be started through dredging of the Jamuna. Such project might be ambitious in terms of cost and time of implementation, but the government will provide as much money and other supports the project needs," the Prime Minister declared.
Besides, she said, the government would also take measures to implement the Ganga Barrage Project for expanding irrigation facility and reducing salinity in agricultural lands, and solving the grave shortage of sweet water in the Sundarbans and deltaic regions.
Sheikh Hasina warned of stern action against the mills and factories violating the environmental rules and regulations.
She said all the industries would be forced to install Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) in order to stop environmental pollution by the industrial wastes in the capital city Dhaka and other major cities.