Reza Mahmud :
As like many other countries in the world, Bangladesh is facing trouble of severe air pollution in recent years.
The government has also realised this problem and started actions to reduce air pollution in the major cities since long.
Now the Department of Environment is designing a new project called ‘BEST’ with USD 800 million support from the World Bank.
The World Bank previously supported the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), Dhaka City Corporation and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) to tackle air pollutions. It was aimed particularly ‘to improve air quality and safe mobility in Dhaka through the implementation of demonstration initiatives in urban transport and brick making by implementing the Clean Air and Sustainable Environment (CASE) project.
Total budget of the CASE project was Tk. 802 crore and allocated among four agencies.
The CASE DOE Component was designed to enhance institutional capacity of the Department of Environment to address air pollution.
Specific project outcome indicators included the following: Decrease in particulate emissions by 20-30 percent and reduction in GHG emissions by 15-20 percent in each brick kiln adopting a cleaner technology by the end of the project.
It has established countrywide continuous air monitoring station (CAMS).
Total 16 CAMS were established in the major cities that include Dhaka, Savar, Narayongong, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Narsingdi, Chittagong, Cumilla, Sylhet, Rangpur, Barishal, Rajshahi and Khulna.
In addition 15 mobile air monitoring station also established in 15 districts.
All air monitoring stations are connected with central system and DOE publish Air Quality Index (AQI) on a daily basis through the website.
DOE officials have been trained to carryout air pollution control across the country, mobile court and enforcement measures, and provide guidance to polluter how to reduce air pollution.
DOE now has Air Quality Wing and good set up of technically enriched manpower to take appropriate measures to reduce air pollution.
Air pollution sources were identified through analytical research by the CASE project. Now it is easy for the DOE to take action to control air pollution.
Modern laboratory facilities were established at the DOE Head Office to examine and monitor all sorts of pollution.
These lab facilities enhanced the capacity of DOE to take measures to tackle air pollutions.
Data storage and management facilities were established at the DOE Head Office to enhance its capacity.
Experts said that the brick kilns are major source (around 60 pc) of air pollution in the country.
Therefore, the CASE project has completed GIS based mapping of all brick kilns in the country.
This GIS based mapping will help DOE to monitor and control brick kiln operation to prevent air pollution.
Strengthening of legal regime on air pollution control by revision of the brick burning act, revision of emission standards for key polluting industries, and development of Clean Air Act.
The success of the CASE DOE component was recognized by the World Bank and they were satisfied with outcomes of the CASE project which was expressed in the final report of the World Bank.
When contacted, MA Matin, Executive Vice-President of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA) told The New Nation, “It is clear that the air pollution in the country reached in a dangerous stage. It created acute sufferings for the people pushing them into different illness.”
He said, “It is does not matter that how big sum of budget has been taken to curb air pollutions, but the real subject is to implement those honestly to keep the people free from environmental hazardous.”
As like many other countries in the world, Bangladesh is facing trouble of severe air pollution in recent years.
The government has also realised this problem and started actions to reduce air pollution in the major cities since long.
Now the Department of Environment is designing a new project called ‘BEST’ with USD 800 million support from the World Bank.
The World Bank previously supported the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), Dhaka City Corporation and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) to tackle air pollutions. It was aimed particularly ‘to improve air quality and safe mobility in Dhaka through the implementation of demonstration initiatives in urban transport and brick making by implementing the Clean Air and Sustainable Environment (CASE) project.
Total budget of the CASE project was Tk. 802 crore and allocated among four agencies.
The CASE DOE Component was designed to enhance institutional capacity of the Department of Environment to address air pollution.
Specific project outcome indicators included the following: Decrease in particulate emissions by 20-30 percent and reduction in GHG emissions by 15-20 percent in each brick kiln adopting a cleaner technology by the end of the project.
It has established countrywide continuous air monitoring station (CAMS).
Total 16 CAMS were established in the major cities that include Dhaka, Savar, Narayongong, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Narsingdi, Chittagong, Cumilla, Sylhet, Rangpur, Barishal, Rajshahi and Khulna.
In addition 15 mobile air monitoring station also established in 15 districts.
All air monitoring stations are connected with central system and DOE publish Air Quality Index (AQI) on a daily basis through the website.
DOE officials have been trained to carryout air pollution control across the country, mobile court and enforcement measures, and provide guidance to polluter how to reduce air pollution.
DOE now has Air Quality Wing and good set up of technically enriched manpower to take appropriate measures to reduce air pollution.
Air pollution sources were identified through analytical research by the CASE project. Now it is easy for the DOE to take action to control air pollution.
Modern laboratory facilities were established at the DOE Head Office to examine and monitor all sorts of pollution.
These lab facilities enhanced the capacity of DOE to take measures to tackle air pollutions.
Data storage and management facilities were established at the DOE Head Office to enhance its capacity.
Experts said that the brick kilns are major source (around 60 pc) of air pollution in the country.
Therefore, the CASE project has completed GIS based mapping of all brick kilns in the country.
This GIS based mapping will help DOE to monitor and control brick kiln operation to prevent air pollution.
Strengthening of legal regime on air pollution control by revision of the brick burning act, revision of emission standards for key polluting industries, and development of Clean Air Act.
The success of the CASE DOE component was recognized by the World Bank and they were satisfied with outcomes of the CASE project which was expressed in the final report of the World Bank.
When contacted, MA Matin, Executive Vice-President of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA) told The New Nation, “It is clear that the air pollution in the country reached in a dangerous stage. It created acute sufferings for the people pushing them into different illness.”
He said, “It is does not matter that how big sum of budget has been taken to curb air pollutions, but the real subject is to implement those honestly to keep the people free from environmental hazardous.”
