Hacked  By  r4dBlack

DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said her government plans to set up four satellite towns around the capital city besides taking effective steps to protect the city from the clutches of land grabbers.
She said massive programmes have also been taken to restore navigability of four important rivers - Buriganga, Balu, Turag and Shitalakhya - around the city by implementing capital and maintenance dredging as their existence is under threat from illegal occupations and dumping of wastes.

The Prime Minister was inaugurating the 3rd International Conference on Bangladesh Environment (ICBEN 2010) organised by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city.

Presided over by Chairman of BAPA Prof Mozaffar Ahmed, the function was also addressed by State Minister for Forests and Environment Dr Hasan Mahmud, Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Dr A A M S Arefin Siddique, Vice-President of BAPA Dr Nazrul Islam, Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) and Conference Organising Committee Prof Nazrul Islam and General Secretary of BEN M A Matin.

The Prime Minister said her government has a plan to increase commuter facilities in the capital city so that people from the nearby districts could return to their homes after their office work during the day. "Keeping this in mind, we have taken plans to improve train service and develop water ways to facilitate smooth transportation," she added.

Describing the rivers and canals as invaluable resources of the country, she said her government has been implementing the massive capital and maintenance dredging to bring back navigability of the country's major rivers along with protecting the environment.

Besides, she said that steps have been taken to stop inflow of tidal waters by constructing embankments and creating green belt in the coastal areas. The government has undertaken a community based project involving Taka 40 crore in the coastal areas to this end, she added.

Referring to climate change issue, she said her government has formed a "climate change trust fund" with its own resources considering the negative impact of global warming. Taka 700 crore has already been allocated for the purpose, she added.

In this context, she said steps are underway to form a "multi donor trust fund" for Bangladesh with the financial support of development partners. Besides, her government has formulated Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan to this end, Sheikh Hasina said.

The Prime Minister said the government has allocated Taka 133 crore under its Poverty Reduction Project for expansion of the area for forestation while a project of Taka 100 crore is being implemented for protecting environment in the Sundarbans, the UNESCO world heritage.

Referring to industrial waste, she said steps are being taken to make mandatory the setting up of Effluent Plants in all waste producing mills and factories to protect environment.

Laying emphasis on forging integrated national unity to face environment and climate change challenges, Sheikh Hasina called upon the environmental scientists to take effective measurers in this regard.

The Prime Minister said her previous government had taken a massive river dredging programme to ensure navigability of the country's major rivers including the Gorai.

But, she regretted that the BNP-Jamaat government cancelled those projects, causing siltation in the rivers.

"Apart from the Gorai river, they (BNP government) have suspended 99 development projects undertaken by my previous government which were very important for the country," she added.

Referring to gradual decrease of arable lands, Sheikh Hasina said she had already directed the authorities concerned to protect those lands and increase production.

Besides, she said her government has already directed the private entrepreneurs and developers to implement their projects keeping provision of water bodies and playgrounds for the children inside their projects to protect environment.

Laying emphasis on raising social awareness on protecting environment, she said enacting law and its enforcement is not enough to conserve environment. The Prime Minister said the organizations working with environment issues can play a vital role to raise awareness to this end.

She called upon all concerned to come forward with pragmatic initiatives along with the government to protect the country's environment and to leave a healthy and prosperous future for the new generation.

Ministers, advisers to the Prime Minister, environmentalists, academics and high government officials were present.