bdenvironment.com

Category: Pollutions

  • Environment Pollution: Future is at stake!

    Environment Pollution: Future is at stake!

    Suparna Roy: Development vs. Environment- is one of the controversial issues of modern and progressive world. The concept of development today and couple of years ago are not same. Development of human civilizations started being measured when we realized that, “we are limited with resources.” Since then, people started thinking about development protecting nature. Whenever any conflict arises in between the two, both developed and developing countries are eager to choose ‘development’. The natural environment of Bangladesh is also part of this controversial issue. 17 corer people live in the 1, 47, 570 sq.km and economic growth is the primary concern of individual. Over the last three decades, Bangladesh witnessed 200 natural disasters. Though geographical location next to the Bay of Bengal is one of the reasons of those disasters, environment pollution is also a reason. A database between 2008 and 2017 stated that, around 37 million people in Bangladesh were affected by natural disaster. Bangladesh is in the 7th position among countries most extreme weather conditions and in the 3rd position for natural disaster.

    Soil, air and river are the primary objects of nature. Population densities, socio-economic environment, irresponsibility, political influence, non-implementation of laws, industrializations are the reasons of increasing environment pollution day by day. Over population is creating a pressure in every sector. For securing their basic necessities, Government is focusing on economic growth even harming the environment. The entrance of Rohingas is also increased the pressure. Government or Khas lands are not used for the betterment of environment because of political influence. And for the same reason, the numbers of illegal industries are increasing. That toxicity hampers the balance of environment. To control all those issues we have almost 200 environment laws but still this matter is out of control.

    Sustainable development is a fair approach to protect environment in developing countries. The jurisprudence of sustainable development creates an equal balance of development and environment. As a developing country, Bangladesh needs balance equality where economic growth and environmental protection both can be solved. Bangladesh has MDG, SDG plans to deal with the Environmental problems along with 200 environmental laws. Enacting new laws cannot solve the problems. We have enough laws on environment which need to be implemented properly. Government should take every possible step to aware its citizens. Bangladesh gives its consent on international environmental laws and policies. So it is the responsibility of every citizen to protect the environment. As well as, Government can introduce environmental education and scientific research on environment to protect the environment. This method will involve young generation to generate new ideas for the betterment of environment. Also Government should promote training to deal with the random natural disasters. Authority should promote awareness among people to protect environment.

    Humans are creature and modular of the environment”. If we care for humanity, we must protect our environment for the present and future generation. Environment is necessary for physical and mental progress. Tree plantation is an instrumental action which will help us to tackle issues like natural disaster. Development is necessary but we cannot ignore nature. Environment is the key to the existence of life on earth. Environment is everything that is around and the entire life system of a human depends on it. So it is responsibility of every individual to protect environment and to ensure no development can be made harming environment. We need a place to where development and environment are equally balanced. Human with the support of Government can make this aim true and also can gift a colourful nature to the upcoming generations.

    (The writer is a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020 and can be reached at [email protected])

  • Coronavirus wastes posing threat of further contagion

    Coronavirus wastes posing threat of further contagion

    Banani Mallick: Environment experts said the government should look to alternative ways like incineration while dealing with final disposal of Covid-19 wastes. They made this suggestion as used face masks, hand gloves and white gowns dumped here and there amid the pandemic of coronavirus are posing threat of further contagion.

    They came up with the suggestion when the government was yet to ensure a safe management of the COVID-19 wastes in the country. They noted that the government should adopt a viable safe disposal method as early as possible as the coronavirus infection cases are increasing alarmingly with environment hazards in the highly-infected Dhaka and other cities and towns across the country. Md Sazzadul Haque, an environment thinker and academic researcher, said incineration of the COVID-19 related waste is the only way of dealing with this threat. “Being contagious in nature, the COVID-19 has the potential of further transmission through additional carrier and waste collectors and people living next to these open dumping zones,” he said.  Echoing Sazzadul Haque, many public health experts said the COVID-19 waste might be a source of coronavirus infection if they were not managed safely as the virus stays alive for several days on objects.

    Referring to study findings of some provinces of China, he said, they use cement kilns and other industrial furnaces for burning hazardous waste. Bangladesh has also a number of cement industries. It can think of using controlled furnaces to burn the hazardous wastes.

    In addition, he also suggested using the brick kilns located nearby Dhaka and other cities. Noted virologist and former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Nazrul Islam said all measures including quarantining, isolation and lockdowns to control the spread of the disease would go in vain if COVID-19 wastes were not managed safely. “COVID-19 waste is a confirmed source of the coronavirus infection and it can infect others at any stage,” he said. Dr Lenin Chowdhury, Joint General Secretary of Paribesh Banchao Andolan, said the virus Covid-19 can be back from the dumped wastes.

    “The authorities concerned should look into some effective methods such as industrial furnaces and brick kilns. If they fail then COVID-19 hazardous waste will be a further threat to the community,” he said.

    Talking to the Daily Observer Dhaka North City Corporation Chief Waste Management Officer Commodore M Saidur Rahman on Sunday said they were going to launch separate management of such wastes from Tuesday. “We have planned a massive public awareness campaign, training for our waste collectors and safe disposal of the wastes,” he said. He said the DNCC asked PRISM, a non-government organisation managing city medical wastes, to dispose of the medical waste generated at the community level.

    Dhaka South City Corporation’s Additional Chief Waste Management Officer Mohamamd Mizanur Rahman admitted that the DSCC was yet to start separate COVID-19 waste management, saying that they would start one soon. He said they would start collecting the waste separately and dispose of them with other medical waste in cooperation with PRISM.

    (The writer is a Senior Staff Correspondent of The Daily Observer and a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020. She can be reached at [email protected])

  • Reduction of Carbon Emission: A Light of Hope in a Blind Alley

    Reduction of Carbon Emission: A Light of Hope in a Blind Alley

    Nusrat Jahan Labonnayo: Excess Carbon emission is a poignant reality for us. Much of the apprehension about climate change is directly attributable to increasing global temperature, a by-product of the ever-increasing rate of carbon emission. However, we have taken this era-defining challenge for granted for far too long. Consequently, our sea level is gradually rising and might eventually result in environmental catastrophe. Saltwater intrusion might become a new normal for countries like Bangladesh, causing massive internal displacement and changing our agricultural landscape forever. 16-17 southern districts may be inundated by saltwater by the end of the century. Hence, it is imperative that we control the emission of toxic elements like Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide etc. to avoid the aforementioned deleterious consequences.

    To understand the ramifications of carbon emission, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist. Evidently, our world is in an appalling situation because of it. However, here I bring about a new perspective for the reader. During lockdown for COVID-19, Environmentalists have observed dramatic healing taking place. Pollution significantly decreased in many countries and Bangladesh was no different.

    Long story short, the lockdown from mid March to mid April essentially forced industries to shut down resulting in zero to negligible carbon emission. So far this year, the lockdown leading to global economic shutdown has reduced carbon emission by more than 8%. Furthermore, by evaluating the data from the air quality index during the period of lockdown, Dhaka’s air quality has improved 30% or higher.

    Hence, we can confidently claim that the industrial and power sectors are mostly responsible for carbon emission and the population plays a trivial role in air pollution. However, we understand the impossibility of shutting down essential industries or total mitigation of carbon emission. The motivation for this article, therefore, is to introduce some systematic plans to minimize carbon emission.

    Some media sources presented the improvement of our climate during lockdown as a silver lining. However, these temporary solutions are at best, weak swords that won’t absolutely eradicate the problem. Rather, a sustainable structural transformation is required in order to steer clear from this impending disaster. We’ve to reduce carbon footprints by any means & acknowledge this as an urgent priority. Furthermore, government intervention in various sectors of business is required to ensure environmental protection.

    Environmental policies should be introduced & implemented regarding carbon emission reduction and our government should make sure that those policies are compatible with our country’s environmental and economic development.

    In addition, it might be worthwhile to go over concrete actions like carbon tax and carbon trading. Here carbon tax means a charge being imposed on the carbon content of fuels & carbon trading is an alternative system where the state sets the total emission volume for each polluting industry and grants these pollution rights to industries through an auction scheme. The Government may also offer incentives or rewards to business entities who performed well in maintaining these rules and used more eco-friendly tactics to reduce negative externalities.

    While we might go ahead & enjoy the benefits of large-scale economic growth and structural change, we should also note that under no conditions should we allow our ecosystem to get deteriorated any more than it already has. Therefore, timely implementation & prompt execution of green policies must be ensured and public-private collaborations should be integrated into those policies. If everything goes accordingly, hopefully by the end of this century, our future generation won’t have to become the poster-children for UNHCR’s fundraising campaign & we’ll have cleaner air to breathe.

    (The writer is a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020. She can be reached at [email protected])

    Featured Image Courtesy: Nicolas Herrbach

  • Micro-plastics pollution: A high concerning time as the emerging pollutant hits the environment

    Micro-plastics pollution: A high concerning time as the emerging pollutant hits the environment

    Amit Hasan Anik: Micro-plastics can be defined as the smaller fragments (≥1 μm – <5 mm) of semi-synthetic plastic polymers which are highly persistent and omnipresent in the environment. Micro-plastics mainly contain polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, nylons, poly-lactic acid, polyamide, and polyethylene terephthalate.

    However, large plastic pollution was an antecedent worldwide issue whereas micro-plastics pollution is a thriving mondial concern in today’s world. During the last few years, it has taken note that impacts of micro-plastics are relatively more ticklish than macro plastics which causes increasing environmental concern about these tiny particles. Nevertheless, this emerging pollutant of our environment has been largely unexplored in the perspective of Bangladesh.

    However, micro-plastics are divided into two common classes on the basis of their origin and sources, such as primary and secondary micro-plastics. Micro-plastics may enter into the environment due to indiscriminate use in industrial preproduction pellets like personal care products (primary micro-plastics) and as well as by the breakdown of larger plastic objects (secondary micro-plastics). According to the report of Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO), 60 most prevalent and commonly used beauty and cleaning products in Bangladesh, including face wash, detergent etc. contain microbeads (segment of primary micro-plastics).

    They also claimed that monthly around 8000 billion microbeads are released from the household basin and through the drainage system ended up into the surrounding water bodies of Dhaka, Chittagong & Sylhet. Besides, Bangladesh is one of the rising developing countries where consumption of plastic items has expanded than ever before. Furthermore, due to the outbreak of Covid-19, a huge number of single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) including mask, gloves, goggles and gowns are added as single use plastic waste in our environment and turned into a great source of secondary micro-plastics which creating a situation like rub salt into the wound.

    Micro-plastics can be ingested by a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial species due to their small size and their abundance in both pelagic and benthic ecosystems. Recently researchers identified micro-plastics in diverse organisms from the smallest plankton to top predators like large fishes, birds and mammals which indicate pernicious effects of micro-plastics on an ecosystem.

    These micro-plastics through ingestion, inhalation and translocation biomagnified along with the food web and may transfer into human body. According to the report of WHO (2019), they have found the presence of micro-plastics in treated tap and bottled water though in low level but due to regular consumption it may cause chronic effect on human health. However, the detrimental effects of micro-plastics in surrounding environment and on food chain toxicity has not yet been reported in Bangladesh whereas the global researchers has identified the role of micro-plastics as carriers of toxic pollutants responsible for adverse health effects.  

    Albeit, in 2002, the Bangladesh government banned lightweight plastic bags and pushed the use of jute fiber bags as an alternative. Moreover, single-use plastic products are also banned recently because they are secondary sources of micro-plastics deposition.

    However, at the same time, polythene and single-use plastic products are continuously produced, traded and utilized all over the country because of the weak implementation of the law and absence of cost-effective environment-friendly alternatives. Therefore, government should introduce strong legislative rules and set ‘zero tolerance’ regarding the use of mega and macro plastics and compel the industries to use biodegradable materials like starch in lieu of non-degradable materials to lessen micro-plastics pollution.

    (The writer is a student of Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Dhaka, Bangladesh and a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020. He can be reached at [email protected])

  • Coca-Cola is the world’s top plastic polluter, second only to Bangladesh

    Coca-Cola is the world’s top plastic polluter, second only to Bangladesh

    Tahjeeb Hossain Chowdhury: Coca-Cola ranks as the top plastic contaminant among the global multinational corporate brands and second in Bangladesh. The Global Corporate Brand Audit Report of the “Break Free Plastics to Movement” movement titled “Branded: Search for the World’s Corporate Plastic Pollutants” published in October last year.

    The movement’s member organizations recently conducted 239 cleanup operations in 42 countries on six continents between August and September, collecting 187,851 pieces of plastic contaminants. About 10,000 volunteers took part in cleanup operations conducted by 1,300 member organizations worldwide.

    The inspection results showed that about 65% of all plastic waste collected was marked with a clean consumer brand, of which 33,613 pieces were multinational branded plastics. About 9,216 pieces of Coca-Cola, 5,750 pieces of Pepsi Co, 2,950 pieces of Nestle, 1,843 pieces of Danone and 1,664 pieces of Mandalay International brand were found. 

    Volunteers even found Coca-Cola-branded plastic waste “from break-free plastic” thousands of miles away from any habitat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. However, the world’s top plastic contaminant, Coca-Cola, came in second from the results of a cleanup involving 300 pieces of plastic bottles.

    Shamima Akhter, Coca-Cola Bangladesh’s director of public relations and communications, said to the media “Both producers and consumers have responsibilities. We clean plastic through publicity every year as part of our social responsibility. “Consumers should also be more careful not to throw bottles in places that pollute the environment. Plastic is the primary concern behind seawater, but plastic bottles come from market demand”. “Consumers should change their behavior. Otherwise, it is not possible for a single organization to deal with environmental pollution. Coca-Cola has formulated a goal of collecting or recycling a number equaling each bottle, or the company move to sales of such materials worldwide by the year 2030, she added.

    The Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) is a member of the “Break Free Plastics” movement, which organizes the only cleanup program in Bangladesh.

    Plastics are the main concern for environmental pollution. Coca-Cola is recognized as a top contaminant because of the large number of bottles of their size and shape worldwide. Some of their bottles are recyclable and some are non-recyclable.

    Coca-Cola recycles 20% of their plastic bottles worldwide. ESDO Secretary General Shahriar Hossain said to the media “Coca-Cola is polluting the environment and that is why they should be paid for the damage they are doing”. “The United States and the EU want to gradually ban plastics. This is not possible in a day or two, so they make laws and regulations to reduce plastic bottles and then ban them,” Shahriar added.

    (The writer is a marketing graduate, content writer, and data science enthusiast from Dhaka, reach him at [email protected])

    Photo Courtesy: Photo from Coca-Cola TV

  • Plastic waste dumping risks the Bay of Bengal

    Plastic waste dumping risks the Bay of Bengal

    Tahjeeb Hossain Chowdhury: As part of the South Asian Ocean Territory (SAS), Bangladesh is currently facing the worst situation of marine pollution due to plastics – one of the most polluted pollutants in the world and affecting the oceans. Plastic waste dumping risks the Bay of Bengal

    Marine debris, including plastic waste, is a solid material found in marine and coastal areas, a solid material that is produced, processed, and is a major problem due to its harmful effects on the environment, wildlife and human health in the Bay of Bengal, according to a country report based on a review of scientific and policy documents, along with a recent preliminary survey of Bangladesh’s four beaches.

    The report, entitled “Database, Proposed Recycled Enterprise and National Status with Marine Litter Intervention”, is the result of the South Asian Maritime Program (SASP)’s Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter in the SAS Region. According to the report, due to human activities, marine waste reaches from the land to the sea through rivers, drainage systems, wind action, and intentional or unintentional currents in the sea.

    During the survey, a total of 6,705 pieces of waste products were found along the beaches of Bangladesh – Labni and Inani in Cox’s Bazar and Anandabazar and Patenga in Chittagong – 18.5 km long. The litter contained 63% plastic, 13% foam plastic, 2% cloth, 1% glass and ceramic, 1% metal, 9% paper and cardboard, 3% rubber, 1% wood and 7% other materials. Plastic bags are seen as the most common type of litter: at least 2,182 pieces of plastic bags were found on the beach.

    The survey found 588 pieces of insulation and packaging foam, 470 pieces of cigarette butts and filters and 300 bottles. Survey bottle caps and lids, drums, jerry cans, buckets, disposable containers, straws, strutters, drink packaging, food containers, bags, gloves, cigarette lighters, syringes, baskets, crates and trays, mesh bags, fishing gear, different types of plastic waste. The report made several recommendations to bring down and control the reckless dumping of plastic waste on the beach.

    According to the report, there are two sources of marine debris: sea and land. Sea-based sources include merchant ships, ferries and cruise liners, fishing ships, offshore oil and gas platforms, and fish farming facilities, and land-based sewage, municipal and industrial wastes. About 80% of the garbage on the beach, including industrial sources and waste, comes from secondary sources. Most of the industries in Bangladesh are located near major river systems like Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Balu, Turag, Karnafuli, Rupsha and Meghna – all of which end in the Bay of Bengal.

    With proper management, these industries dump their industrial wastes directly into this river, which eventually ends up in the bay. Globally, plastic is one of the most dangerous pollutants in the oceans and seas. This is directly affecting the ecology and biodiversity of the oceans due to its non-biodegradable nature. Plastic lasts for a thousand years and contains about 90% of the world’s ocean debris.

    Plastic kills one million seabirds and one million marine mammals and countless fish each year. Also, plastic litter called microplastics breaks into small pieces that affect humans after entering the fish and food chain through seabirds, marine mammals, and fishnets, and cages. Microplastic beads can also cause cancer in humans.

    (The writer is a marketing graduate, content writer, and data science enthusiast from Dhaka, reach him at [email protected])

  • What is the Bangladesh Clean Air Act?

    What is the Bangladesh Clean Air Act?

    Tahjeeb Hossain Chowdhury: The Bangladesh Clean Air Act has been introduced and there are quite a few radical changes here of note. The well-documented issue of air pollution has come up again and again in the conscience of Bangladeshi Citizens and lawmakers. In recent years, Dhaka alongside New Delhi has been in the rankings as the top uninhabitable cities in the world. A major part of that can be chalked up to how much air pollutants have skyrocketed. The government has been taking isolated steps in order to reduce pollution. But this time it seems like the wheels have turned and the government has decided to concentrate their efforts into making air pollution reduced.

    The Department of Environment along with The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyer’s Association have teamed up to draft the new Bangladesh Clean Air Act. This is in part done to help the preservation of air and reduction of Air Pollution across the regions of Bangladesh. This new set of regulations is a long time coming. It includes Jail time and Fines for violations of the clean air act regulations. With a varied set of rules, the act is said to have good provisions for encouraging preservation and threatening pollution activities 

     The Act has some notable highlights including:

    • The Department of Environment will put together a National Air Quality Management Plan.
    • The government can put out a declaration that an area is “critical” if the air quality deteriorates to an intolerable level, to deal with the restoration of the Air Quality
    • Will initiate a 29-member advisory council with delegates representing different ministries and departments to monitor and recommend implementation of the National Air Quality Management Plan.
    • A maximum jail time of 10 years or fine according to the severity or both as the punishments for violation of the law.
    • In the case of faults and discrepancies by any government agency, the head of the said organization will be considered the guilty party for the violation. Further punishment measures will be dealt to the agency head.

    The brick kilns, generators, and other sources of pollution have been recorded. It all comes down to the unchecked industrial work that goes into urbanization. But the Clean Air Act should bring order to the chaos and help in saving our citizens. Only time will tell if the execution is in line with the regulations.

    (The writer is a marketing graduate, content writer, and data science enthusiast from Dhaka, reach him at [email protected])

  • Demerits of the Generator on the Environment

    Demerits of the Generator on the Environment

    Tahjeeb Hossain Chowdhury: In many areas of Bangladesh, there are lots of localities that still suffer from power outages and load sheddings. To counter that, Generators are used to make sure that the power stays uninterrupted throughout the power outage period. But the generator usage has a lot of perils that threaten the normal living quality of the citizens. 

    Many areas like Mirpur, Farmgate, Jatrabari, Kamrangirchor and some areas where industrial production is prevalent; have been suffering from the effects of the generator smoke. The populace surrounding factory areas have complained about the black smoke that comes out of the chimneys and exhausts. 

    The Generator usage creates residual particulate matter that gets mixed with the environment. Researchers in a recent study by the Center For Science and Development, based in Delhi, provided levels of PM2.5 and PM10 rises 10% to 30% in such areas where the diesel generators are in use. According to Environmentalist Dr. Lelin Chowdhury, the particulates can cause serious illnesses in people that can even lead to death. 

    Dhaka has been ranked second in the World Health Organization air pollution index. In daily pollution indexes, Delhi and Dhaka had been trading places in first and second places in recent times. Bangladesh is also the seventh most vulnerable country to be affected by climate change. 

    Every year more or less 15000 people have been affected by air pollution due to air pollution. The top 10 diseases that affect people most and lead to deaths have 5 respiratory-related illnesses which all have an origin in air pollution. The five diseases are lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, lower respiratory tract infections, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Children suffer from asthma-related problems more often than not. 

    The Poribesh Bachao Andolon initiative has time and again pressed on the importance of getting rid of the sources of air pollution. Its Chairman Abu Naser Khan has opined that any fossil fuel has the potential to cause air pollution. “Getting to the bottom of the usage of such fuels and decreasing uses should be a top priority” adds Abu Naser. 

    The Urban Areas in Bangladesh are being consistently polluted by generator smoke and decreasing their use is a must for us to ensure better living standards and save lives.

    (The writer is a marketing graduate, content writer, and data science enthusiast from Dhaka, reach him at [email protected])

    Featured Image Courtesy: The Guardian

  • Dhaka Water War

    Dhaka Water War

    Fahmida Sattar: Dhaka water war, it is often said that mankind will experience a war over water in the near future. The claim has some truth in it, no doubt about that. But the term ‘Dhaka Water War’ is already an existing truth for Dhaka dwellers. It is indeed irony for a city surrounded by a river that it can not provide the least quantity of water. Experts often blame mismanagement and unplanned urbanization, rapid population growth in cities, etc. This article ‘Dhaka Water War’ will attempt to investigate the water crisis of Dhaka from a perspective where water is considered as a birth right not a mere commodity. In light of this idea, the article will also make an effort to provide some suggestions to lessen and then solve the water crisis, which has made the city of 15 million people a ‘living hell’. The focus will be on the community measures which require less budget and bureaucratic complexities.

    The Current Situation

    According to a report by The World Bank, Dhaka has the highest population growth rate for a city in the entire world. Around 3-4 million people, which constitute about one-fifth of the total population of this mega-city, live in slums. Most of the slums lack any proper water supply lines from WASA. Slum-dwellers standing in long rows, waiting for hours to collect a single gallon of water, is a very common scene.

    Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) said they are producing 160 to 165 crore liters of water which is about 25 percent less than demand. It extracts groundwater using 620 deep tube wells. In addition, more than 2,200 private wells also draw water to serve high-rise buildings and various institutions. The underground water now provides 88% percent of total demand, which was 95% before The Saidabad Water Treatment Plant went into action in 1995. As a result, the subterranean water level drops about 3 meters every year. The rate is 53.75 meters in Mirpur, 18.59 in Mohammedpur and 8.22 meters in Sutrapur. This rapid fall of underground water level does not only create a crisis in the supply of water but also the vacuum left by this fall possesses a great threat of an earthquake. Besides saline water is intruding to fill up space, posing a threat to getting fresh drinking water in the future.

    As Bangladesh is often titled as `land of rivers’, the nearby rivers could be considered as a source of water to diminish the pressure on underground water. But WASA emits 1,000 tonnes of untreated human waste into the rivers adjacent to the city every day, which means river water is unfit for human consumption. The unmonitored industrial wastage system is worsening this problem day by day. 

    Community Measures of Dhaka Water War

    One of the key factors which have a major effect on the gradual descending of subterranean water level is that our city planners often leave little chance for the rain water to get into the ground. Because most of the city areas are paved over, rainwater cannot be absorbed by the ground. Instead, it runs across the pavement, picking up oil, street debris, animal feces, and other waste as it moves. Reducing the amount of runoff rainwater is very critical to ensure the satisfactory level of underground water.  

    Experts use the term ‘rainwater harvesting’ to discuss the process of accumulation and deposition of rainwater for reuse on-site or underground. It goes without saying that the best way of letting rainwater go into the ground is keeping the importance of permeable surface in the head. For areas where hard surfaces are necessary, pavements should be built in a way so that it let the rainwater reach a permeable surface.

    Building rain barrels is another effective way of reducing runoff and conserving rainwater. According to the tutorial, provided for the people of Minnesota, the USA by the state government, it needs only about half an hour to make a rain barrel at home. As Bangladesh yet to reach extreme water crisis conditions, building a community rain barrel is enough to tackle the present situation.

    Rain gardens are another community mean of rainwater harvesting. These are concave-shaped gardens that collect runoff from downspouts, driveways and other hard surfaces. Plants that tolerate “wet feet” should be planted in the bottom, while plants that need less water are planted on the edges.

    Rainwater harvesting has proven to be successful in other parts of the world. The 35 rain water harvesting systems working in NYC’s community gardens collect 422,900 gallons of water every year. That’s enough for 264,313 toilet flushes! The Institute of Water Management (IWM) shows if 60 percent of total rain water can be harvested in a city like Dhaka, it will be capable of providing 200 million liters of water every single day.

    In India, the state of Tamil Nadu was the first to make the conservation of rain water compulsory for every building to avoid the rapid decrease in the underground water level. As a result of this, Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, saw a 50% rise in water level in five years. The other states gradually followed Tamil Nadu’s example and found surprising results. The state of Rajasthan receives a scant 400 mm of rainfall annually where the relatively dry western region of Rajshahi, receives 1600 mm of annual rainfall. The decade of the 1980s is Rajasthan is marked with the revival of the ancient tradition of creating Johads, large rain water reserve tanks. Now there are over 4,500 working Johads, lessening the water crisis of one of the driest places in this subcontinent.

    Conclusion

    In comparison with the vulnerable economy of our country, one can easily draw the conclusion that no quick solution in near at hand. First of all, the crisis should not be let to go out of control. This can easily be done by reducing the quantity of usage and wastage. Moreover, community measures are easy to be introduced and apparatuses are very available. As there is a wise saying, “All’s well that ends well”, the article is being concluded with good news. This November, Honorable LGRD minister has announced that the government is going to provide water supply lines in every slum area of the city within December 2015. One can raise doubt about whether it is really going to happen at last. But what can satisfy Dhaka dwellers is that this matter is taken to attention. The whole world today is talking about the impending severe water crisis. Bangladesh should not be left behind.

    The writer is a student at the University of Development Alternative (UODA).

    Photo Courtesy: The Daily Star

  • Dhaka Residents Flinch as Air Quality Worsens

    Dhaka Residents Flinch as Air Quality Worsens

    Tahjeeb Hossain Chowdhury: It is no secret that Dhaka is a city that has been plagued with air pollution for a long time. The quality of air has worsened in the industrialization of the 1980s, 1990s, and of course the 2000s. Bangladesh has been leading the charts when it comes to pollution and that is definitely not something to gloat about and should elicit an opposite reaction. 

    In recent times the air quality issues have plagued the whole world and Bangladesh is certainly not an exception to that. Bangladesh has been put in the rankings as one of the worst countries to live in, in terms of air quality. Dhaka has been named one of the most inhospitable cities in the world.

    Dhaka is the 17th worst city in the world in terms of air quality in the world. Delhi and Dhaka have been trading places with each other as the most polluted cities in the world on a daily basis. What’s alarming is the amount of smog and dust particles in the air in Dhaka. With the top 10 causes of death in Dhaka having 5 respiratory and heart conditions or a source of such, this is technically an alarming situation. 

    Dhaka has an infrastructure that resembles a board of dominos with buildings and structures piled with little or no space in between. With living spaces and industrial sites being lumped together, the pollutants rapidly mix with the air and eventually in the lungs of citizens. 

    With brick kilns, factories, construction sites, metal workshops, and transportation fumes so much intricately mixed with our city living quarters, air pollution is bound to be an issue. With the worldwide situation getting so bad, there needs to be precautions and studies in place to mitigate the situation. Citizens in Dhaka have been subject to a varying range of problems pertaining to such harsh air quality. 

    Underlying conditions such as lung cancer, various forms of heart disease, and strokes are becoming common for the citizens. So proper steps from the government and citizens alike is sorely wanted to tackle this ever-present calamity. Regulations and restrictions, as well as the promotion of good environmental habits, should be the key to tackling these problems.

    (The writer is a marketing graduate, content writer, and data science enthusiast from Dhaka, reach him at [email protected])

    Photo Courtesy: Dhaka Tribune