Asit Kumar Mukutmoni :
(From previous issue)
The first one is causing severe threat to the south of Bangladesh putting pressure upon our economy, landed area, population distribution etc. The impact of increasing salinity in surface water, land, deep water and air creating extra threat on agricultural production, plantation, fruit and vegetable growing, rearing of domestic animals, causing decay in the house, furniture, utensils, tin, vehicles, health and many others, putting direct pressure upon the sustainability and peaceful habitation. A report shows that 147000 hector agriculture land of Satkhira Zilla turned saline. Salinity captured almost of the offshore Upaazila Asashuni, shyamnagar of Satkhira; Kaira and Paikgacha of Khulna; Rampal and Mongla of bagerhat. According to the estimate of soil development institute of Bangladesh, average 75% land of these three Zilla Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat are saline which turned unsuitable for agriculture. The land within Barisal series are very prone to salinity.
The cause of the rapid invasion of salinity is due to the invitation of saline water for prone/lobster cultivation in the agriculture land in these areas, started during the 1980s.
The rise of the height of the Sea saline water, the increase of salinity level in the nearing river as reported in the last April, shows that in Rupsa-14.3, river salmari-16.4 of batiaghata, near kharnia bridge of Dumuria-17.2, Shibsa ferrighat of Paikgacha -21.5 and river Pashur of Mongla-23% which is unfit for use 0f any work. The more presence of saline water, the more absorption of salinity in the land and it is extending due to the less flow of river water towards the sea. Here is a point to note that the safety saline tolerance line is less than .75% and the highest tolerance rate is 3. But we are carrying about 15 -25 (Kalerkontho on 5th June). So the situation gradually moves forward dreadfully. Moreover there is almost regular threat of storm, cyclone, heavy rain, tidal bore of different scales, siltation of river, non navigation, water logging etc.
It is, no doubt, difficult to ensure a continuous flow of wealth to repair the damage of physical structure and income vulnerability for ensuring a peaceful habitation in these areas. Hence an alternative approach of employment, agriculture, animal rearing, creating scope of sufficient supply of suable fresh water and, analyzing sufficiently, construction of heavy pucca embankment for belting the whole coast say 30 feet height, 30 feet top having recommended slope (or as required) with heavy stone protection by taking of a twenty to thirty years plan can be supportive to the cause.
Deep forestation in the island and char areas including forestation within the embankment area (main land) and many others can operated for the better future end. The main income source of the shore people is the fishing in the sea which turns more and more non viable for the marginal fishermen.
The money investors are exploiting them in different ways. They are also facing the shortage of related logistics, decrease of fish stock in the nearing sea and many other problems for which the situation is turning complex day by day to reside beside the Sea. The statistical information shows that the number of sea shore upazila population is proportionately decreasing over decades. The total population of Barisal Division decreased which is shown in the last population census of 2011 than the previous census of 2001.
The fact is that the total population of Bangladesh is increasing. The impact of natural hazards, within Barisal and Khulna division areas, are thought to be one of the most important causes of the decrease of the population.
These divisions have a net of big rivers and canals and the proximity of the Bay of Bengal. The living of the Human being in an area is the predominant criteria for the development in the area. But when the inhabitants think that there is threat in living and progress of now and their future generation or if they mentally decide to leave the place gradually for these inconveniences, then all attempts to run there the development activities will end and finally be proved fruitless.
To see the situation from a different angle is that one of the striking causes of the increase of population of Dhaka and other cities at a faster rate, is the immigration of people through domicile or displacement from the natural disaster prone area to other, causing with a view to live better or to live by avoiding the natural and other hazards thinking much about their future generations.
Hence the improvement of the situation demands a special coordinated compact plan device including the continuous and proper execution of it for the better end of the coastal people and the country. Motivational program, publicity, volunteering, drill and training are also useful. Capacity building of the marginal fisherman both inland and sea going demands the top priority. But actual and dependable data collection in this respect through our statistical department, thought to be obviously necessary for the said.
To speak about the second component that means earthquake, everyday hundreds of earthquakes are striking the earth in different areas of the earth, having different magnitudes. It is a natural phenomenon and happening from the very inception of the earth.
The outer surface is very much covered with soil layer which is situated/ rested upon different plates having different names, say Indian plates, Eurasian plate and others. The centre of the earth is very hot and the substances there are staying as liquid, semi liquid, muddy with varying distance. The plate (a kind of natural sheet, can be said) is moving very slowly.
When two or more plates are collided then the earthquake starts but the magnitude of shock differs for many causes. Generally we understand it with the measuring name ‘rector scale’. When the shock is more than 6 or 7 in rector scale to the epicenter, then the jerking, generally cyclic, moves on heavy and creates devastating situation around.
I like to write no more about earthquake here but to write some about the devastating scenario of the hard hitting earthquake before noon on 25th April, 2015 in Nepal, our close neighbor, for our country’s perspective.
Bangladesh is within the active earthquake zone. Our northern, eastern and middle area, including Dhaka city are under the main threat of earth quake.
The devastation picture of 7.8 rector scale earthquake of 25th April 2015 in Nepal, centering Katmandu capital city and around, took away the lives of 8699 and 22220 were severely injured. About 5 lakh houses were totally damaged and 269000 partially damaged. 28 lakh people need the humanitarian help and 864000 people those who are living in the inaccessible hilly and distant village areas, deserve the quick and special help before the onset of the rainy season. 95000 people are still living in the temporary shed in twelve districts. UN requested for a help of forty crore and twenty lakh dollar from the international community (Source-The Kaler Kantho, the 4th June, 2015).
The cause of the mentioning of this earthquake is, we can have the lesson of positive experience about the devastation, difference between the thinking and reality, problem facing, operation and management of humanitarian help, need assessment, vulnerability understanding and the hindrances, drawing of the draft operation planning and mode of operation for our country if we are affected with earthquake (May the Almighty bless us of not happening).
If a complete team, coupled with the members of different representative sectors move together to help the rehabilitation work and at the same time go to view, inquire, search and collect related different information for mitigation, preparedness and training with related others, then our country can bag a representative knowledge to combat such unwanted hazard in the future.
Not only this, it will facilitate a scope to disseminate the practical knowledge, experience and utilize it to develop a more pragmatic future plan operation and training procedure in our country.
The Ministry of Disaster management and Relief, DMD, CPP are working in the co-related work of the disaster in our country. CDMP phase three can play a vital role basing upon the acquired knowledge and progress in the 1st and 2nd phase work.
Year wise reporting and recording of all sorts of natural and manmade hazard, less intensive or intensive, devastating or less devastating, anywhere in the country, is a prime need for the country and the international community to meet the need of actual data and preparing a realistic plan program.
The Components of the affected, loss relating data collection require to be settled before as per international standard which necessitates a training and training of the data collector/field officer and staffs including the process of proper keeping the data. Disaster risk reduction and poverty reduction are Inter related. Disaster monitoring, proper and specific early warning regarding flood, rainfall, heat and cold weave, fog, draught prove always helpful for agricultural production. Adaption to climate change is an important guideline to cope with the changed natural sequence and to ensure the continuity of sustainability. Planning for disaster management basing on reality analysis and its timely proper implementation will bring speed to regular progress. The more capacity building, prior preparation, expansion of ICT use, public-private cooperation, satellite data collection including rightful analysis and use, information and support sharing of the neighboring countries, quick rescue operation, rehabilitation and so on obviously are more helpful to develop a better world against all types of hazards and to reduce ill impacts upon economy and society for assuring the sustainable development by reducing vulnerability..It is a problem, threat for all. So it demands the self orientation, motivation and eagerness to know the method of overcoming or be responsive to minimize the loss of disaster. Government, other agencies, media, all institutions and individual can play the coordinated supportive role in this respect.
(The writer is a Senior Bureaucrat (retd))
(Concluded)
