Master plan to protect sweet water fish in river Halda
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, May 17: An inter-ministerial committee today drafted a master plan to protect the River Halda, the country's lone natural breeding ground of sweet water fish, at a meeting held at Chittagong Circuit House. Attaching highest importance on agriculture and fishery, the committee has taken up five projects for implementation at the earliest possible time plus other related programmes. The projects include renovation of 13 sluice gates to facilitate free strolling of fish, excavation at different points of the river, recovery of the river's Sonaimukh point that has been filled with sediments, creation of 12 kilometer diversion in the river and construction of two roads on its both banks. Besides, the committee decided to go for action against the Asian Paper Mills responsible for emission of oily waste in the river, closure of three brick kilns near the river, action against emission from the Karnafuli Paper Mills (KPM) at Chandraghona in the Sangu River through the industries ministry, closure of Chittagong City Corporation's waste removing at Katakhali and suspension of the sailing of mechanized boats in the Halda River during April-June period. The meeting was attended as chief guest by local MP Fazle Karim Chowdhury, advisor of the committee and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of housing and public works. Chaired by Md Shamsul Kibria, head of the inter-ministerial committee and joint secretary of the ministry of fisheries and livestock the meeting was attended, among others, by additional deputy commissioner (general) Ehsan Elahi, chief engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board Syed Ahsan Ali and senior officials of the department of environment, local government and the local upazila administration. At a press briefing after the meeting Fazle Karim Chowdhury MP said the Water Development Board has taken up a Halda Protection Scheme worth about Tk 2800 million which was sent to the concerned ministry for approval.
CHITTAGONG, May 17: An inter-ministerial committee today drafted a master plan to protect the River Halda, the country's lone natural breeding ground of sweet water fish, at a meeting held at Chittagong Circuit House. Attaching highest importance on agriculture and fishery, the committee has taken up five projects for implementation at the earliest possible time plus other related programmes. The projects include renovation of 13 sluice gates to facilitate free strolling of fish, excavation at different points of the river, recovery of the river's Sonaimukh point that has been filled with sediments, creation of 12 kilometer diversion in the river and construction of two roads on its both banks. Besides, the committee decided to go for action against the Asian Paper Mills responsible for emission of oily waste in the river, closure of three brick kilns near the river, action against emission from the Karnafuli Paper Mills (KPM) at Chandraghona in the Sangu River through the industries ministry, closure of Chittagong City Corporation's waste removing at Katakhali and suspension of the sailing of mechanized boats in the Halda River during April-June period. The meeting was attended as chief guest by local MP Fazle Karim Chowdhury, advisor of the committee and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of housing and public works. Chaired by Md Shamsul Kibria, head of the inter-ministerial committee and joint secretary of the ministry of fisheries and livestock the meeting was attended, among others, by additional deputy commissioner (general) Ehsan Elahi, chief engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board Syed Ahsan Ali and senior officials of the department of environment, local government and the local upazila administration. At a press briefing after the meeting Fazle Karim Chowdhury MP said the Water Development Board has taken up a Halda Protection Scheme worth about Tk 2800 million which was sent to the concerned ministry for approval.