From
overseas, whenever we, IFC members
look at our native land, we fondly
remember our rivers, canals, lakes,
ponds and water holes, our boat rides
and swamps, our fun fishing and water
frolics, and the lush green landscape
that cradles our homes. The image
of our homeland that we cherish in
our hearts came for a rude shock when
the international press and the UN
sources reported serious environmental
repercussions on Bangladesh caused
by unilateral withdrawal of waters
from the course of the Ganges upstream.
We were told by experts involved in
the study of Sub-Himalayan river systems
that after the expiry of the memorandum
of understanding between Bangladesh
and India about Ganges water sharing
in 1988, large scale withdrawal of
water from the Ganges in the two Indian
states, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, was
going on unchecked. In the absence
of a water sharing agreement, Bangladesh
was facing serious crisis of water
in the Ganges/ Kobadak Project. It
was compounding the eco-disaster caused
by the drying-up of Ganges distributaries
in Southwest Bangladesh after the
Farakka link canal became operational
and started diverting flows from Ganges
to flush the Calcutta port.
In
the mean time, a water-sharing agreement
has been signed by the Government
of Bangladesh with the Government
of India in 1996, which arose
criticism that basic
guarantee of arbitration clauses were
absent,
also
Nepal
was not involved in the process. So,
it was not found very suitable for
the revival of environmental health
of Bangladesh.
Moreover,
severe droughts situation
caused by water
withdrawal of Ganges, showing low
river flows and increased evapo-transpiration
leads to a drought situation causing
fresh water scarcity in northwestern
region of Bangladesh. It changes hydrological,
climate conditions and agricultural
practices, which have gradually converted
Bangladesh into a drought-prone country.
The growing imbalances between water
demand and supply in the dry season
is deteriorating day-by-day, desertification
syndrome has already started in the
north western part of the country,
causing hazardous environmental health.
In the process of our
deliberations and exchange of views
the International Farakka Committee,
has become keenly aware about inter
dependence of renewable and underground
water resources and the entire gamut
of development activities of Bangladesh,
domestically and regionally. Moreover,
IFC became aware about a serious eco-disaster,
Arsenic, which has far-reaching implications.
It has already spreading its tentacles
in many parts of Bangladesh, as arsenic
contamination of our groundwater,
presumably from oxidation by air creeping
into the vacuum left by falling water
tables. Arsenic, the silent killer,
poses by far the biggest mass poisoning
case in the world, said William Chappell,
an environmental expert at the University
of Colorado, U.S.A. Most arsenic compounds
have no smell, taste, can dissolve
in water, gets into air when contaminated
materials are burned, settles from
the air to the ground; it does not
break down but can change from one
form to another. Atomic weight of
arsenic is 74.922 while the atomic
weight of iron is 55.847. Metamorphosis
of the element explains why arsenic
is available in deep groundwater level.
Upstream
withdrawal of common river flows
is said to be the cause of fast lowering
of the groundwater level, leading
to a continuous depletion in the groundwater
reserves in the region. Total Dissolved
Solids (TDS), which has heavy metal
like arsenic came up, affected the
agriculture, food chain, industry,
domestic and municipal water supply,
endangering human life of Bangladeshi
people by 'Arsenic Poisoning'. EPA
sets a limit of 0.05 ppm (parts per
million) for arsenic in drinking water.
But due to a lowering water table
the EPA limit exceeds manifold, 80
million people are affected by this
arsenic poisoning, an epidemic without
answer.
IFC
has promptly approached the Institution
of Engineers, Bangladesh, to join
with our efforts to organize an international
conference in Dhaka for a comprehensive
assessment of water-management as
well as related environmental and
public health problems of Bangladesh.
The civil Engineering Division of
the Institute of Engineers of Bangladesh
responded to our request positively
and we are grateful for their co-operation
and may obtain a consensus approach
and multidisciplinary formulations
from the experts and leaders of opinion
assembled in Dhaka, and help build
a more secure and healthier future
for Bangladesh. IFC organized seminars
research works, exchanges, and dissemination
of findings relating to the ecology
and sustainable development concerns
of Bangladesh.
The International Farakka Committee
has remained as active as ever on
the awareness creating movement. Regular
reporting on the impact of Farakka
and Arsenic in the Mass Media of Bangladesh
and other countries is one such area
where the committee feels that it
has made a humble contribution.
Recently,
India
is implementing 'River Inter-link
Mega Project' with a motive to Convert
our Green
Bangladesh into
a Desert
by withdrawing upstream Water from
international and common Rivers, from
the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Meghna
and other tributaries and distributaries.
In
protest of and in
demand for the cancellation of
'Indian
River Inter-link Project'
IFC held the long March & grand
rally at Chilmari Bandar Kurigram
Bangladesh on 4 March 2005 (go
to picture ) where
IFC announced
a 15 points Declaration and
the future Programme of IFC
to-
SAVE
OUR RIVERS
SAVE BANGLADESH
In
the 'LONG
MARCH 2005 and GRAND RALLY
2005' joined a huge mass of people
and it became a human sea.
Express
your solidarity with us and join in
the upcoming events of IFC :
The title of the seminar is,
"Upstream
Water Withdrawal: Disaster for
Bangladesh".
Last
date of the first call for papers:
July 31, 2005.
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SAVE
OUR RIVERS
SAVE BANGLADESH
Contact
us at:
Dhaka
Address:
214/1 Elephant Road,
Dhaka-1205,
Tel/Fax: (880)-2- 9110-982,
E-mail: stsultan1952@yahoo.com,
rabd@bangla.net,
nb_ahmed@hotmail.com
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