Participants of a human chain rally in Barisal Sunday called for immediate adaptations and implementation of coordinated water management system.They stressed on saving water bodies, preventing extraction of ground water, preventing pollution and increasing use of surface water in southern region.The programme was organised by ‘alliance to observe World Water Day 2015’ in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall and participated by different government and non-government organisations.Since 1992, the United Nations observing March 22 as World Water Day with the objective to raise awareness, both on the potential for increased cooperation and on the challenge of water management in the light of the increase in demand for water access, allocation and services.This year theme of the Day was water for sustainable development, the organisers told. Prof. M Moazzem Hossain, president Conscious Citizen Committee,presided over the programme addressed among others by Prof. Shah Sajeda, Dr. Habibur Rahman, Akkas Hossain, Anowar Zahid, Shuvangkar Chakraborty, rights and NGO activists.Zone-specific planning and allocation should be the focal point of water cooperation in Bangladesh context to ensure sufficient water supply needed for sustainable development, the speakers pointed out. “Water management is challenging in the country’s coastal region,haor, char lands and flood-prone areas of southern Bangladesh. It requires full engagement of the communities and local actors, including local government institutions, they said. Local socio-economic, cultural and educational issues should also be taken in to consideration in terms of water cooperation, they suggested. Southern part of Bangladesh is gradually turning into a water-scarce region in the country with threats of rapidly advancing salinity because of its geographical position and increasing extraction of ground water, the speakers noticed.Expressing grave concern over increasing ground water extraction and surface water pollution, they called all concerned to work together for fulfillment of basic human needs by saving the environment for ensuring sustainable socio-economic development.The government should immediately formulate and implement proper water management system by using modern filtering technology and constructing water treatment plant to ensure safe surface water for all especially for poor and vulnerable people, they said. They said water flow of the rivers; canal should be regulated and properly connected with other surface water bodies through cooperation and providing new filtering technologies to get more safe surface water for use.Barisal Correspondent
