India withdraws water from 42 int'l rivers by constructing dams
Experts for united efforts, stronger diplomacy over issues
Water experts at a conference Saturday stressed the need for combined efforts to unite the nation for realising the potential of its water resources by mitigating the effects of India's moves to construct dams on major international rivers, reports UNB.They said although the source of all principal rivers of Bangladesh are outside the country, depending on the upstream water India is planning to build dams in upstream areas of the major rivers including Barak.
The International Farakka Committee (IFC), New York Inc, organised the day-long conference titled 'Water Problems of Bangladesh: National and Regional Perspectives' at National Press Club in the city Saturday.IFC chairman Atiqur PK Eusufzai presided over the session while former UN environment specialist and water expert Dr SI Khan presented a keynote paper at the conference.
Former DU VC Maniruzzaman Miah, former VC of Khulna University Abdul Quader Bhuiyan, former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury, DU Professor Asif Nazrul Islam, Dr Zafarullah Chowdhury, Editor of the New Nation Mostafa Kamal Majumdar and journalist Sadeq Khan spoke on the occasion.
Dr SI Khan said there are some 54 international rivers in the South Asia region, from which India has withdrawn water from 42 rivers by constructing dams on them."Although the majority of the water of these rivers come from Nepal and Bhutan, India is trying to use all of the water by overlooking the interest of neighbouring countries," he said.On India's move to construct Tipaimukh Dam on Barak river, Dr Khan said if the India government implements the proposed Tipaimukh Dam, 60 per cent of the area of the country's Meghna basin will be affected by desertification, and salinity will rise to affect the area up to Sylhet town.He urged the government to pressure the neighbouring country for ideal sharing of the water of another common river, the Teesta, as per the water treaty signed by the two countries earlier.Dr Khan suggested formation of a committee involving UN water experts to demolish the Farakka dam built by India to save the country's north-western part from desertification.
Blaming the political parties, Dr Asif Nazul said, "no successive government could play any sort of comprehensive role in realising our water and water resources from India." "We are not a foolish nation. But whoever governs the country, either they are foolish and selfish or unpatriotic," he said.He urged the upcoming generation to come forward and take the responsibility upon their shoulders to solve the longstanding regional water problems.
About 92 per cent of the catchments area of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM) rivers are located outside Bangladesh while the GBM river basin is around 64 per cent in India, 18 per cent in China, nine per cent in Nepal, and three per cent in Bhutan.It is estimated that the catchment area of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers is 12 times the size of Bangladesh.
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=107179&date=2010-07-25
The International Farakka Committee (IFC), New York Inc, organised the day-long conference titled 'Water Problems of Bangladesh: National and Regional Perspectives' at National Press Club in the city Saturday.IFC chairman Atiqur PK Eusufzai presided over the session while former UN environment specialist and water expert Dr SI Khan presented a keynote paper at the conference.
Former DU VC Maniruzzaman Miah, former VC of Khulna University Abdul Quader Bhuiyan, former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury, DU Professor Asif Nazrul Islam, Dr Zafarullah Chowdhury, Editor of the New Nation Mostafa Kamal Majumdar and journalist Sadeq Khan spoke on the occasion.
Dr SI Khan said there are some 54 international rivers in the South Asia region, from which India has withdrawn water from 42 rivers by constructing dams on them."Although the majority of the water of these rivers come from Nepal and Bhutan, India is trying to use all of the water by overlooking the interest of neighbouring countries," he said.On India's move to construct Tipaimukh Dam on Barak river, Dr Khan said if the India government implements the proposed Tipaimukh Dam, 60 per cent of the area of the country's Meghna basin will be affected by desertification, and salinity will rise to affect the area up to Sylhet town.He urged the government to pressure the neighbouring country for ideal sharing of the water of another common river, the Teesta, as per the water treaty signed by the two countries earlier.Dr Khan suggested formation of a committee involving UN water experts to demolish the Farakka dam built by India to save the country's north-western part from desertification.
Blaming the political parties, Dr Asif Nazul said, "no successive government could play any sort of comprehensive role in realising our water and water resources from India." "We are not a foolish nation. But whoever governs the country, either they are foolish and selfish or unpatriotic," he said.He urged the upcoming generation to come forward and take the responsibility upon their shoulders to solve the longstanding regional water problems.
About 92 per cent of the catchments area of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM) rivers are located outside Bangladesh while the GBM river basin is around 64 per cent in India, 18 per cent in China, nine per cent in Nepal, and three per cent in Bhutan.It is estimated that the catchment area of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers is 12 times the size of Bangladesh.
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=107179&date=2010-07-25
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