Call to save river from salinity

CHITTAGONG, May 28: The authorities concerned have been urged to protect the breeding ground of sweet water fish from pollution, encroachment and salinity.

President of Halda River Protection Committee Professor Monjurul Kibria made the appeal while placing an eight-point demand at a press conference here today.

In the press conference, he said that authorities should be tough against any attempt of constructing dam on the river and water lifting from the river for irrigation.

He also urged the authorities to arrange alternative measures for irrigation, conduct a survey for measuring the necessity of water in the river and take measures to desalinate the water so that the river flow is not disrupted or interrupted any way.

Speaking at the conference, Dr Kibria, a teacher of Chittagong University, also urged the government to declare the Halda River as the natural fish breeding area and conduct a survey to assess the quantity of fish.

"It is such a river on which livelihood of some 7.0 million people depends," he said.