Himanshu Thakkar Several times Ive felt that some lines from famous hindi song[i] from film Abhimaan sum up the feelings of many activists like me.. Majrooh Sultanpuri’s lyrics came to mind again as I thought of writing about the Narmada…
Category: Natural
Mistrust slows spread of solar disinfection tech
Manchester – Local mistrust is slowing take up of simple innovations that use sunlight to disinfect water, a UK conference has heard. Researchers working on low-cost, low-tech water purification systems for developing countries are struggling to convince local people that…
Natural cold storage effective for vegetable preservation
Natural cold storage is being adjudged as an effective means of long-term preservation of vegetables and some other seasonal fruits and green spices like garlic and green chili in organic way and its prospect is very much bright in the…
Flood receding in Northern districts, swelling in central Bangladesh
Flood levels have started receding in northern districts adjacent to Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers at Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra and Nilphamari but swelling in Tangail, Jessore, and Chandpur in central Bangladesh. In Gaibanda overall flood situation at chars and Brahmaputra river…
Scrutiny body formed to issue NOC on land use
The government today formed a four-member scrutiny committee for issuing no objection certificate (NOC) on land use.Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha(RAJUK) would provide secretarial assistance to the committee headed by LGRD secretary Abdul Maleq.Three other members of the committee would be to…
Flood situation worsens in Bangladesh’s 6 districts
The flood situation in Faridpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Jamalpur, Bogra and Munshiganj districts worsened further on Friday, as waters in the rivers flowing through the districts are swelling.Gaibandha Water Development Board sources said the Brahmapurta, the Jamuna and the Gaghat rivers…
Mobilisation of public opinion to protect rivers urged
Dhaka – Water experts and activists on Wednesday called for mobilising public opinion in favour of the protecting rivers which are basic to life and livelihood to 160 million people of Bangladesh. They made the call at an opinion exchange…
Government for river dredging, training: Anisul Islam
Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud today said the government has taken initiatives for river management system including capital dredging in the country’s big and important rivers.Replying to a starred question from treasury bench member Momtaz Begum in the Jatiya…
Navy plan to control encroachment, pollution in Dhaka rivers
Dhaka – Bangladesh Navy has submitted a strategy before the government to control pollution and encroachment as well as maintaining proper navigability in four rivers that are considered the lifeline of capital Dhaka, official sources said, according to BSS.
Govt. is working to protect rivers from pollution, grabbing
The government will take a crash programme to check river pollution and grabbing, said Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan on Sunday.
The Aral Sea springs back to life
Successful recovery efforts have brought back the sea and new hope for devastated Aral Sea communities in Kazakhstan.Tastubek, Kazakhstan – The little village of Tastubek is situated in the North Aral Sea, 90km from Aralsk, a former port on the…
Experts warn of cataclysmic earthquake in Bangladesh, NE India
Dhaka, – A massive fault could trigger a cataclysmic earthquake of magnitude 8.2 to 9.0 beneath Bangladesh, parts of east India and Myanmar, new research suggests. However, the researchers have no estimates for when such a megaquake could occur as…
Indian minister threatens regulators, media, civil society over ILR
On June 7, 2016, (as widely reported by media[i]) Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti “threatened to go on hunger strike if the Ken-Betwa river linking project is further delayed and termed the attempt to delay the project by environmentalists…
Flood turns grim in Kurigram district marooning 60,000
Dhaka – Onrush of water from the upstream and incessant rainfall have turned the flood situation worse in six upazilas of Kurigram district, rendering more than 60,000 people marooned, UNB news agency reported. The affected upazilas are Kurigran Sadar, Nageshwari,…
Dying Putimari river cries for a new lease of life
Dhaka-It was barely 30 years ago when heavy water vessels like cargo, streamer and launch, used to ply the Putimari River in the district. Gone are the days! The once-mighty Putimari is almost a dead river now. It is going…
A disaster-in-waiting
By Shamsuddoza Sajen May – In a recent interview with BBC, India’s minister of water resources Uma Bharti unveiled her government’s massive plan to divert major rivers including the Ganges and Brahmaputra. According to the Guardian, the project is just…
Experts for formulating marine policy
Dhaka – Experts at a seminar on Monday underscored the need for formulating a marine policy and creating skilled manpower and infrastructure to tap the potentials of the sea-based ‘blue economy’.
PM’s initiative to ensure natural flow of rivers urged: IFC
Dhaka – Leaders of the International Farakka Committee (IFC) have urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of the historic Farakka Long March Day to take an initiative to ensure natural flow of water in Bangladesh’s rivers. The IFC…
War and peace and water
Laura Tuck Washington, DC – India is currently facing its worst water crisis in years, with an estimated 330 million people – one-quarter of its population – affected by severe drought. Ethiopia is also dealing with its worst drought in…
Greens want govt steps to ensure supply of safe water in Dhaka
Dhaka – Green activists have urged the government for immediate steps to check water pollution, recover water-bodies and ensure safe water for all unb news agency reported. They said poor water management, unchecked water pollution and supply of unsafe water…
Celebrate Plant Something Day
Danielle Nierenberg Since 1950, the number of people residing in urban areas has increased from 746 million to 3.9 billion. By 2050, according to the United Nations, 66 percent of the world’s population will be living in cities. There are…
Large fish catches marked in Munshiganj section of the Padma
Dhaka – For the last couple of weeks, the Padma River in this district has been abundant with big size fishes of different species such as roui, katal, boal and pangas thanks to the sudden influx of gushing waters from…
Limestone deposit at Naogaon can meet country’s demand
Bangladesh on Thursday announced the discovery of the biggest ever limestone deposit in its northern district of Naogaon, capable of meeting the entire demand of the country’s cement industry.
Fulfill demands of water transport workers: National committee
Dhaka – The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads & Railways (NCPSRR) on Thursday urged the concern authorities to fulfill waterways transport workers’ 15 point demands including increasing of its minimum wage. At a joint statement, National Committee adviser and…
BBC Bangla program on dying BD rivers begins Saturday
Dhaka – The threat of extinction of Bangladesh rivers is the subject of ‘Amar Nodi’ (My River), a special content that will be on BBC Bangla from April 9 and April 16 on radio, online and social media, unb news…
20mn drink arsenic-laced water in Bangladesh – 43,000 die a year
Dhaka – The Bangladesh government is failing to adequately respond to naturally occurring arsenic in drinking water across large areas of rural Bangladesh, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Approximately 20 years after initially coming to international…
GWP appoints new technical committee chair
Global Water Partnership (GWP) announced that Dr Jerome Delli Priscoli is the new GWP Technical Committee Chair, effective April 4, 2016. The appointment is made by the GWP Steering Committee. “I am happy to welcome Dr Priscoli in our midst,”…
Is the mighty Ganga drying up?
Last month, the NTPC plant near Farakka barrage was shut down after flow dipped. The Ganga that has nourished the Indian civilisation for centuries has recorded a historically low inflow in its lower reaches this year, going by the evidence…
Air pollution: 25pc city children suffer lung abnormality
Dhaka – One in every four children of the city faces abnormal lung functioning due to ambient air pollution, says a new study, UNB news agency has reported. Collecting 500 samples from four different age groups, mostly from the 10-20…
Bangladesh minister says Teesta deal with India matter of time
Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud has rejected any notion of “mistrust” of India and said “it is a matter of time” now before the Teesta water-sharing deal is inked. “It must happen,” he said speaking at a conference on…