Interim govt takes extensive measures in water resources

The interim government has taken various measures in water resource management sector in its maiden 100 days since taking oath on August 8 following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s regime on August 5 amid students-led mass uprising.
 
As part of its efforts, on November 5, the government formed an 11-member working group to build ‘Blue Network’ to restore the flow in the canals in Dhaka after recovering those from illegal encroachments, according to water resources ministry. 
 
The group was asked to prepare the final work plan by November 30 withholding dialogues with all stakeholders.
 
According to the available statistics, there are 69 canals within the two city corporations’ jurisdictions, but many of these have disappeared. Among the existing ones, the DNCC oversees 29 canals and one water body, while the DSCC manages 11 canals. The DSCC later identified 14 more canals, bringing its total to 25.

The ministry of water resources has implemented short-, medium-, and long-term initiatives to stop water pollution and restore the rivers’ natural flow around Dhaka.

As part of short-, medium-, and long-term programs for pollution avoidance and Balu river restoration, the first phase of determining the water quality index (WQI) using Principal Component Analysis has been finished.

Against the backdrop of devastating flood in the country’s northeastern and southeastern region and later in the northern region as well as Sherpur and Netrokona, the ministry of mineral resources prepared a report along with a preliminary estimate listing flood control embankments, coastal polders, river banks and other infrastructure under the Bangladesh Water Development Board affected by the recent floods.
 
Already, about 89 km of embankments have been repaired as an emergency measure. Apart from this, another 56 km embank repair work is going on.
 
On the other hand, a feasibility study has been started for the reconstruction of Musapur regulator and construction of a closure in Bamni river in Noakhali district. Survey work in Muhuri-Kahua-Silonia-Feni basin is at final stage as the development project will be taken soon in line with of the recommendations of the feasibility study.
 
The list of illegally built infrastructures that obstruct normal flow of rivers and canals and those individuals and organizations that have built those has already been collected.
 
Initiatives have been taken to prepare an action plan for removal of illegal encroachment of rivers and freeing the rivers from pollution and to prepare health cards for all rivers.
 
District-wise action plan initiatives have been taken for freeing rivers from encroachment and pollution. List of rivers affected by plastic pollution is being prepared.
 
On the occasion of National Youth Day-2024, on November 1, Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Youth and Sports launched a canal cleaning programme for cleaning total 64 canals in 64 districts, one in each district that ended on November 15.
 
Works are underway to fix the exact number of rivers by considering river as a living entity. Commissioners of eight divisions and the chief engineers of the water development board met with the stakeholders and prepared the list of the number of rivers in each division. At this stage, public opinions will be received at the national level by publishing the list of rivers on the website of the Ministry of Water Resources and National River Commission and then the actual number of rivers will be fixed.
 
About the Bhabadaha beel crisis in Jashore, necessary activities including opening up of Amdanga canal have been taken to solve the problem of waterlogging in Bhabadah Beel area. Besides, Amdanga canal has also been included in a development project for the renovation of the canal. Hari River re-excavation programme is already underway with a total of 9 excavators, including two floating excavators, to mitigate the inundation of Bhabadah Beel caused by recent heavy rains.
 
Plans have been taken to launch signaling or alert system as per possible extent of flood with ensuring proper use of information technology in forecasting by analyzing the forecasting system of different countries and following the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and the Department of Disaster Management, plans have been taken to introduce toll free SMS system through various mobile operators in potential flood risk areas.
 
As part of the action plan for administrative reforms during the 1oo days of the interim government, initiative has been taken to update the National Water Policy-1999, include the Bangladesh Water Act, 2013 in the Mobile Courts Act and promote and amend the Bangladesh Water Act, 2013 to ensure people’s right to water.
 
Priority is being set for the implementation of ongoing development projects to accelerate the country’s water resource management.
 
Youths have been included to oversee urgent service of Bangladesh Water Development Board to harness youth power.
 
Additional Secretary of Water Resources Ministry Md. Rezaul Karim told BSS that 91 development projects of this ministry are under implementation but no new project has gone to the approval stage in the last 100 days. Scrutiny activities have been intensified on the proposal of any new project, he said.
 
Ongoing projects are being implemented on the basis of high, medium and low priority projects in light of the guidelines of the Planning Commission, he said adding that 38 projects have been given high priority as those are likely to be completed by the current fiscal year. Only 43 projects have been given medium and 10 projects given low priority.
 
He also said that out of these 91 projects, Bangladesh Water Development Board is implementing 88 projects, Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO) is implementing one project and Department of Bangladesh Haor and Wetlands Development is implementing 2 projects.
 
Total allocation in favor of Annual Development Programme (ADP) projects in FY 2024-25 is Tk 8337.09 crore as Tk 7828.35 crore will come from domestic sources and Taka 508.74 crore from foreign aid, Rezaul Karim said.
 
Besides, necessary measures have been taken to save money of about Tak 650 crore by reviewing the ongoing projects.
 
A feasibility study is being carried out for repairing and reconstructing water resources infrastructure affected by the recent floods in Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur and Cumilla districts.
 
Besides, the Emergency Flood Recovery, Reconstruction and Retrogression (BWDB-Part) project has been taken up this year.