Wetlands protection
Friday, 6 July 2007
Syed Ishtiaque Reza
ALL concerned were caught by surprise when LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal last week disclosed that one famous building at Kawran Bazar will be demolished as nearly equally famous another building in the city, built without the approval of Rajuk. The reason, as elaborated by the adviser is that it was built encroaching the one of the most important wetlands in the city. It seems that the present government has become serious to protect the wetlands across the country.
Bangladesh possesses enormous area of wetlands including rivers and streams, freshwater lakes and marshes, water storage, fish ponds, flooded cultivated fields and estuarine systems with extensive mangrove swamps. The haors, baors, beels and jheels are known as freshwater wetlands in the country.
A law to protect rivers, canals, floodplains and wetlands from encroachment has remained stuck at the draft stage for more than two years since its endorsement by a cabinet subcommittee of the immediate-past BNP led four-party government. The reason behind this has been attributed to strong lobbying by encroachers.
The proposed law, which was approved by the cabinet subcommittee on July 6, 2005, has a provision for a maximum of five years' imprisonment or fine of Tk 300,000 or both for encroachment of land within 10 metres of rivers, canals and floodplains. It also prohibits construction within 10 metres of rivers, canals and floodplains, and 50 metres of port areas. The law, if enacted, would certainly have strengthened the legal framework for the combat against encroachment of wetlands and water bodies.
A law is as good as its enforcement. Regrettably, enforcement does not seem to be the forte of the authorities. Most of these agencies are largely manned by people who are either incompetent or deliberately indifferent.
Therefore, until and unless the enforcement mechanism is shored up by replacing the incompetent and corrupt elements with competent and honest staff, any law will remain as meaningless as the proposed law on protection of rivers, canals, floodplains and wetlands.
Experts for long are suggesting proper documentation of the rich biodiversity of the country. They feel that identification of wetlands, preparation of inventory and taxonomic survey are necessary for the sake of the conservation of aquatic flora and fauna. Environmentalists say that lack of co-ordination among the ministry of forest and environment and the ministry of water resources is the major cause of degradation of the country's wetlands.
The present wetland leasing system is in conflict with water, land, fish and environment policies. There is the need for setting up of institutional mechanisms for conflict resolution among various agencies. Coordination among the concerned government agencies for proper management of aquatic resources in the country is strongly felt.
The government always says it places high values in wetlands and would like to protect their rich biodiversity. But in practice no effective effort is seen. Effective community participation and awareness raising at grass roots level is not yet abundantly visible.
To protect the wetlands from illegal encroachment, relevant ministries, including the land ministry, should take strong initiatives and properly implement the fisheries and wildlife protection acts.
ALL concerned were caught by surprise when LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal last week disclosed that one famous building at Kawran Bazar will be demolished as nearly equally famous another building in the city, built without the approval of Rajuk. The reason, as elaborated by the adviser is that it was built encroaching the one of the most important wetlands in the city. It seems that the present government has become serious to protect the wetlands across the country.
Bangladesh possesses enormous area of wetlands including rivers and streams, freshwater lakes and marshes, water storage, fish ponds, flooded cultivated fields and estuarine systems with extensive mangrove swamps. The haors, baors, beels and jheels are known as freshwater wetlands in the country.
A law to protect rivers, canals, floodplains and wetlands from encroachment has remained stuck at the draft stage for more than two years since its endorsement by a cabinet subcommittee of the immediate-past BNP led four-party government. The reason behind this has been attributed to strong lobbying by encroachers.
The proposed law, which was approved by the cabinet subcommittee on July 6, 2005, has a provision for a maximum of five years' imprisonment or fine of Tk 300,000 or both for encroachment of land within 10 metres of rivers, canals and floodplains. It also prohibits construction within 10 metres of rivers, canals and floodplains, and 50 metres of port areas. The law, if enacted, would certainly have strengthened the legal framework for the combat against encroachment of wetlands and water bodies.
A law is as good as its enforcement. Regrettably, enforcement does not seem to be the forte of the authorities. Most of these agencies are largely manned by people who are either incompetent or deliberately indifferent.
Therefore, until and unless the enforcement mechanism is shored up by replacing the incompetent and corrupt elements with competent and honest staff, any law will remain as meaningless as the proposed law on protection of rivers, canals, floodplains and wetlands.
Experts for long are suggesting proper documentation of the rich biodiversity of the country. They feel that identification of wetlands, preparation of inventory and taxonomic survey are necessary for the sake of the conservation of aquatic flora and fauna. Environmentalists say that lack of co-ordination among the ministry of forest and environment and the ministry of water resources is the major cause of degradation of the country's wetlands.
The present wetland leasing system is in conflict with water, land, fish and environment policies. There is the need for setting up of institutional mechanisms for conflict resolution among various agencies. Coordination among the concerned government agencies for proper management of aquatic resources in the country is strongly felt.
The government always says it places high values in wetlands and would like to protect their rich biodiversity. But in practice no effective effort is seen. Effective community participation and awareness raising at grass roots level is not yet abundantly visible.
To protect the wetlands from illegal encroachment, relevant ministries, including the land ministry, should take strong initiatives and properly implement the fisheries and wildlife protection acts.