Rizwana seeks int'l support in river restoration

 
Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Sunday sought international support in restoration of the country's rivers.

She urged the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other international partners to help Bangladesh create a successful example of river restoration.
Rizwana highlighted the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to restoration of the rivers.

Speaking as the chief guest at a Knowledge Sharing Seminar on "River Restoration: Lessons for Bangladesh," at Pani Bhaban here, she expressed optimism about the potential to transform even polluted rivers like the Buriganga into sources of fresh water.

Rizwana, also environment adviser, noted that other countries have demonstrated effective methods for tackling such challenges, reports BSS.

Observing chromium contamination caused by tanneries as an additional challenge for the Buriganga River, she stressed immediate action rather than more policies, plans or strategies, which Bangladesh has, to address the water problems.

Rizwana called for ADB's support in developing a concrete action plan using existing documents and institutions such as the National River Commission, the River Research Institute, and the Institute of Water Modelling, which have technical expertise but yet to be fully utilised.

She mentioned that the Delta Plan and the Water Policy of 1999 would serve as crucial frameworks for future river restoration efforts.

The Water Resources Planning Organisation has already developed an action plan for restoring valley rivers, she said.

Additionally, she said, GPS mapping conducted by the newly appointed Administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation has identified pollution sources for four major rivers, with the final list of polluters being expected to be announced by March.

The water resoures adviser saif the Director General of the Department of Environment has been instructed to issue letters to all polluters, and the government is committed to providing the necessary support for businesses to take proper pollution control measures.

 The government also possesses a comprehensive list of encroachers for the four major rivers and acknowledges the need to address plastic pollution in rivers, she said.

She shared that special equipment is required to remove plastic waste from riverbeds, a task conventional dredgers cannot accomplish.