Dredging the rivers
Friday, 28 September 2007
THE concern over the navigability of the rivers will be heightened soon when the winter time comes. The rivers are by far the cheapest transporters of goods in bulk in Bangladesh. They also carry a substantial number out of the total number in the population who regularly travel long distances. In the backdrop of the economic importance of keeping the rivers navigable, very little have so far been done over the years to this end.
Siltation is a major problem of the rivers and the rate of siltation intensifies in the winter season when the currents in the rivers slow down. Every year, the massive silt brought down by the rivers are raising the river-beds, creating both problems of depth and shallow waters, shoals and floods in the wet season. The siltation problem can be tackled effectively with regular and extensive dredging operations. But dredging of the rivers has been minimal in recent years.
What governments have done over the years to prevent the effects of siltation, are to be considered as peripheral. Major activities to dredge the rivers have not been noted. Thus, the navigational problems of the rivers have worsened to their present state.
The river routes in the country have shrunk by nearly 30 per cent in the last decade from a lack of dredging. According to estimates, some 55.2 million square meters of silt are deposited annually in the rivers and dredging is required to keep the riverways reasonably navigable amid such heavy siltation. But the annual dredging capacity of the entire dredging fleet in the country is about 8.7 million square meters only. With the existing number of dredgers only about 15 per cent of the total dredging requirements can be met. Even the entire capacity cannot be employed at a time because the dredgers do not all remain operational and have to be frequently repaired. Besides, the annual budget for dredging operations has been scanty compared to need. Whatever dredging activities take place are also not so useful in many cases because of corruption and hence the poor quality of the dredging.
The experts say that about 24 thousand kilometres of the riverways have become heavily silted and siltation is rapidly spreading into the remaining river routes. The challenge to maintain the navigability of the riverways is apparent. This situation calls for urgent attention to step up dredging activities. First of all, new dredgers should be acquired to increase the number of dredgers. The budget for dredging operations needs to much increase and also there have to be arrangements for strengthening supervision to ensure corruption-free effective dredging.
Md Amanullah
Dhanmondi R.A.
Dhaka
Siltation is a major problem of the rivers and the rate of siltation intensifies in the winter season when the currents in the rivers slow down. Every year, the massive silt brought down by the rivers are raising the river-beds, creating both problems of depth and shallow waters, shoals and floods in the wet season. The siltation problem can be tackled effectively with regular and extensive dredging operations. But dredging of the rivers has been minimal in recent years.
What governments have done over the years to prevent the effects of siltation, are to be considered as peripheral. Major activities to dredge the rivers have not been noted. Thus, the navigational problems of the rivers have worsened to their present state.
The river routes in the country have shrunk by nearly 30 per cent in the last decade from a lack of dredging. According to estimates, some 55.2 million square meters of silt are deposited annually in the rivers and dredging is required to keep the riverways reasonably navigable amid such heavy siltation. But the annual dredging capacity of the entire dredging fleet in the country is about 8.7 million square meters only. With the existing number of dredgers only about 15 per cent of the total dredging requirements can be met. Even the entire capacity cannot be employed at a time because the dredgers do not all remain operational and have to be frequently repaired. Besides, the annual budget for dredging operations has been scanty compared to need. Whatever dredging activities take place are also not so useful in many cases because of corruption and hence the poor quality of the dredging.
The experts say that about 24 thousand kilometres of the riverways have become heavily silted and siltation is rapidly spreading into the remaining river routes. The challenge to maintain the navigability of the riverways is apparent. This situation calls for urgent attention to step up dredging activities. First of all, new dredgers should be acquired to increase the number of dredgers. The budget for dredging operations needs to much increase and also there have to be arrangements for strengthening supervision to ensure corruption-free effective dredging.
Md Amanullah
Dhanmondi R.A.
Dhaka