Dying rivers: Urgent result-oriented talks needed
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Twenty-nine rivers in the southwestern part of the country, according to some recent media reports, have already died from progressively reduced flow of the Padma in Bangladesh. The rivers were the offshoots of the two major tributaries of the Padma -- the Gorai and Madhumati rivers.
The once mighty tributaries of the Padma at present have a thin canal like existence. These hardly hold enough waters to feed their distributaries. Thus, these 29 rivers have gradually died.
The entire region comprising Khulna, Jessore and Satkhira used to be ecologically alive from the flow of these rivers, the death of which, and the consequent growing aridity in the region, have brought havoc to the local economy and the lives of people. In many places, the underground water levels have fallen precariously affecting vital supplies for irrigation. Fishermen have lost their occupations. The trees and vegetation have suffered irreparably from the growing waterlessness.
Industries have taken a flight from the region. The health conditions of the people in Khulna and adjoining areas have also deteriorated from excess salinity in the ground waters. People here have been migrating to other areas of the country in search of better conditions for health and for livelihood.
The conditions in other areas of the country are also under varying degrees of threat from withdrawals of water unilaterally in the upstream region by India in its territories to divert waters from common rivers. India has so far not committed not to build the Tipaimukh dam. It seems poised to build it and the establishment of the dam is certain to bring on Farraka-like effects over vast stretches of northeastern and central Bangladesh by interfering with the flow of the Brahmaputra. Another major river, the Teesta, along with its tributaries, has already dried up inside Bangladesh.
If it keeps on like this, then Bangladesh would soon be headed for an environmental death. To preclude this possibility, urgent result-oriented talks with India are necessary.
Kabita Rahman
Gulshan II, Dhaka.
The once mighty tributaries of the Padma at present have a thin canal like existence. These hardly hold enough waters to feed their distributaries. Thus, these 29 rivers have gradually died.
The entire region comprising Khulna, Jessore and Satkhira used to be ecologically alive from the flow of these rivers, the death of which, and the consequent growing aridity in the region, have brought havoc to the local economy and the lives of people. In many places, the underground water levels have fallen precariously affecting vital supplies for irrigation. Fishermen have lost their occupations. The trees and vegetation have suffered irreparably from the growing waterlessness.
Industries have taken a flight from the region. The health conditions of the people in Khulna and adjoining areas have also deteriorated from excess salinity in the ground waters. People here have been migrating to other areas of the country in search of better conditions for health and for livelihood.
The conditions in other areas of the country are also under varying degrees of threat from withdrawals of water unilaterally in the upstream region by India in its territories to divert waters from common rivers. India has so far not committed not to build the Tipaimukh dam. It seems poised to build it and the establishment of the dam is certain to bring on Farraka-like effects over vast stretches of northeastern and central Bangladesh by interfering with the flow of the Brahmaputra. Another major river, the Teesta, along with its tributaries, has already dried up inside Bangladesh.
If it keeps on like this, then Bangladesh would soon be headed for an environmental death. To preclude this possibility, urgent result-oriented talks with India are necessary.
Kabita Rahman
Gulshan II, Dhaka.