Saturday | 11 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Saturday | 11 January 2025 | Epaper

Adverse impact of dead Padma threatens environment in N region

Published : Wednesday, 5 January, 2022 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1133
Rafiqul Hasan Firoz
A view of the Padma River in Rajshahi. photo: observer

A view of the Padma River in Rajshahi. photo: observer

RAJSHAHI, Jan 4: The Padma is now a dead river. It is no longer carrying water like before. It is free of current as well. The flow has got into bed. Vast chars have emerged. According to environmentalists, northern (N) region is in the jeopardy of its adverse impact.
Due to dam by India at the entry point of Bangladesh, the Padma River is drying out. According to water specialists, the Padma is one of the rivers which originated from Tibetan plateau. The Ganges is unique among all rivers originated from the Tibetan plateau. It is meeting fresh water demand of 100 crore people in delta river area in Asia. After entering Bangladesh via India, it is named as Padma.
Because of controlling its flow, the Padma is experiencing water scarcity in the dry season, and, in the rainy season, it is flooding vast areas in the region.
Water specialists said, due to Farakka barrage, agriculture water crisis has been created in the northern region including Rajshahi; environment is getting jeopardised.  Desertion is on the rise.
They quoted from Melt Down in Tibet saying, about 200 crore people of the world are dependent on rivers originated from Tibet plateau for drinking water, agriculture irrigation, fishing and industrial work; but in the dry season, these rivers are drying out; due to halted water flow, fish and other nutritious elements cannot move to downstream areas. Also birds in estuaries of these rivers are in existence threat. Forests, marshes and croplands are exposed to greater damages. The coastal erosion gets expediting. Irrigation-based farming is hampered. And in the dry season, the adverse impact is affecting Bangladesh economy and environment. Already its branch rivers have died. Raised chars are grabbed by influential people, and different institutions are built up. Effluent from industrial units along the river are polluting the environment. Fish population, birds livestock, environment and ecology have been in serious threat.
River researcher Mahabub Siddiqui said, every year due to erosion by the river, thousands of people are turning destitute; after losing houses and croplands, some are becoming agriculture labourers and some internal migrants; and others are rushing towards towns.
Due to occupied branch rivers, water cannot enter beels (water bodies) including Chalanbeel in the rainy season.  Also in the dry season, water cannot make recession to beels.
As ground water is used through deep tubewell for irrigation at the drought time, water layers get coming down in the Barind region. It is also increasing agriculture production cost. Farmers are losing their farming interest. Water-way business has been suspended. Now the water-way business is taking place on roads. So the transport cost is increasing while accidents are on the rise.
Rivers are losing navigability. So dredging these rivers is demanded time and again. Most of the ponds and marshes have been grabbed. District administration, RDA (Rural Development Authority), RCC (Rajshahi City Coporation) and the Environment Department have been asked by the High Court not to fill ponds. But ignoring the court order, ponds and marshes are being filled up unabated.       
It was learnt, in the last 55 years, over 5,000 ponds have got filled up. These have been occupied. Also the rivers within the city have been grabbed. Buildings have been raised on these. The weather is turning hot. Natural fishes are getting damaged.







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