80pc supply water misused in city
Sunday, 5 April 2009
About 80 per cent of the supply water in the city was being misused simply because of users' lack of awareness, experts said in a discussion in the city Saturday, reports UNB.
They said the city dwellers consciously or unconsciously misused 80 per cent of the supply water, which was nearly pure or could be used with simple purification.
The discussion titled 'Water Problem of Dhaka city: Citizens' Views' was jointly organised by two NGOs-Actionaid and Nagorik Sanghati- at the National Press Club.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on LGRD Ministry Advocate Rahmat Ali spoke at the programme as the chief guest with Nagorik Sanghati President Professor Dr ASM Atiqur Rahman in the chair.
Advocate Sanzida Khanam, MP, Shaheda Tareq, MP, former WASA Chief Engineer Qazi Muhammad Shish, Professor Shahidul Islam and water expert Professor Moniruzzaman Mia, among others, spoke at the discussion.
They said a comprehensive water management policy was needed to resolve the city's water crisis, especially drinking water, and emphasised public-private partnership and building rainwater reserve bodies.
Rahmat Ali, however, said it was unlikely that the water supply problem would be solved any time soon but the government had taken effective plans to tackle the crisis.
He said the government would solve the water problem in the city in phases by 2013 and water would be brought from the Bay, if necessary, by setting up desalinating plants.
Engineer Sardar Amin said lack of coordination among different ministries and officials concerned has made the water supply even more fragile. "The government should take an inclusive step so that industrial wastes cannot pollute the nearby rivers of Dhaka city."
They said the city dwellers consciously or unconsciously misused 80 per cent of the supply water, which was nearly pure or could be used with simple purification.
The discussion titled 'Water Problem of Dhaka city: Citizens' Views' was jointly organised by two NGOs-Actionaid and Nagorik Sanghati- at the National Press Club.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on LGRD Ministry Advocate Rahmat Ali spoke at the programme as the chief guest with Nagorik Sanghati President Professor Dr ASM Atiqur Rahman in the chair.
Advocate Sanzida Khanam, MP, Shaheda Tareq, MP, former WASA Chief Engineer Qazi Muhammad Shish, Professor Shahidul Islam and water expert Professor Moniruzzaman Mia, among others, spoke at the discussion.
They said a comprehensive water management policy was needed to resolve the city's water crisis, especially drinking water, and emphasised public-private partnership and building rainwater reserve bodies.
Rahmat Ali, however, said it was unlikely that the water supply problem would be solved any time soon but the government had taken effective plans to tackle the crisis.
He said the government would solve the water problem in the city in phases by 2013 and water would be brought from the Bay, if necessary, by setting up desalinating plants.
Engineer Sardar Amin said lack of coordination among different ministries and officials concerned has made the water supply even more fragile. "The government should take an inclusive step so that industrial wastes cannot pollute the nearby rivers of Dhaka city."