Govt to formulate integrated policy to address water crisis, says Minister

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State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak Sunday said, the government is determined to formulate an integrated water policy negotiating with India, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan for addressing the existing water crisis, report agencies.
The State Minister also said the present government is quite sincere to implement the Ganges water sharing agreement with India, signed in 1996, to ensure sufficient water flow in Bangladesh round the year.
Mr Nanak made the remarks while speaking at the inaugural session of a seminar on "Trans-boundary River Basin of Bangladesh: Situation Analysis of Water and Sanitation" jointly organised by Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) and NGO Forum at the DPHE auditorium in the city Sunday.
DPHE chief engineer Md Mustafizur Rahman presided over the inaugural session. UNIC Officer-in-Charge of Kazi Ali Reza read out a message from the UN Secretary General while NGO Forum executive director SMA Rashid gave the welcome address.
Chaired by executive director of NGO Forum SMA Rashid, acting WHO representative to Bangladesh Dr Andrew Trevett, country representative of UNICEF Bangladesh Carel de Rooy and secretary of the local government division Shaikh Khurshid Alam also spoke as the special guests.
Local and international environmental experts and representatives from NGOs attended the seminar in observance of the World Water Day-2009.
The State Minister for LGRD assured that the government would adopt an integrated policy and undertake a plan to save water resources and ensure pollution-free environment.
He said the government has a plan to implement the Ganga Barrage project to ensure salinity-free water to enhance irrigation facilities for increasing agricultural production.
He also sought national unity to ensure establishing regional cooperation.
"Regional cooperation is urgently needed to address the crisis… it's a commitment of the present government to build up effective regional and international cooperation to protect environment and water resources."
He mentioned that the government as part of its pre-election pledges is committed to ensuring drinking water for all by 2011 and sanitation system by 2013.
Analysing data, the state minister said nearly 70 per cent of the world is surrounded by water but only 2.53 per cent of such waters are drinkable.
"Most of our rivers are getting dried for lack of maintenance and regular dredging," he said, adding: "We should develop a mechanism to preserve water during the monsoon, which can be used in dry season."
The increased dependence on the underground water might cause water crisis in near future and if the situation continues and no recharge initiative is taken, the underground water will come to an end by the next 15 years, he said quoting experts as saying.
The people had largely benefited with the 30-year Ganges Treaty with India signed in 1996 but later the next government utterly failed to realise the significance of the deal.
Earlier, speakers of the seminar urged to take care of water bodies and emphasised on optimum utilisation of water through proper management.
They said quality of water, flow of water and maximum utilization of water must be ensured to address the crisis.
They suggested the government to sit with the Indian government to discuss the water sharing issues.