City Desk :
Speakers at a day-long workshop have called for taking effective and urgent steps to protect water resources and ensure safe water for containing the spread of waterborne diseases.
They laid stress on proper management of the existing water resources especially in the saline prone southern part of the country.
The call came from a workshop titled, ”Draft water Ordinance-2015, under Water Act of Bangladesh-2013 and views to incepting rules of 2013″ held yesterday at the conference room of Khulna Circuit House in the city. The workshop was organized by Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO) of the Water Resources Ministry.
Additional Secretary (Development) of the ministry ALM Abdur Rahman addressed the programme as the chief guest with Khulna deputy commissioner Mostofa Kamal in the chair. Among others, Abdur Rob Mia, member secretary of National Water Resources Parisad Executive Committee and also Director General of WARPO, Firoz Alam, Director of WARPO, K M Anwar Hossain, Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) of South-West Zone and Md. Rezaul Karim, Project Director of WARPO spoke.
Government officials, engineers of BWDB, leaders of civil society, journalists and NGO representatives, among others, took part in the workshop.
The participants advocated for building an effective programme for coordination among the experts and government and non-government organizations so they can put in concerted efforts to formulate a time befitting Water rules under the Water Act.
They noted that the authorities concerned should work together in this regard as safe water is a fundamental right of the people. Importance should be given on quality, quantity, governance and social accountability for proper water resources management and safe water planning.
