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National Water Policy : Bangladesh
l. Introduction
Water is central to the way of life in Bangladesh and the single most
important resource for the well-being of its people. It sustains an
extremely fragile natural environment and provides livelihood for millions
of people. Unfortunately, it is not infinite and cannot be treated as a
perpetual free gift of nature to be used in any manner chosen. The unitary
nature of water makes its use in one form affect the use in another. Its
availability for sustenance of life, in both quantitative and qualitative
terms, is a basic human right and mandates its appropriate use without
jeopardising the interest of any member of the society.
Availability of water, including rainwater, surface water, and
groundwater, in usable forms calls for its sustainable development, a
responsibility that has to be shared collectively and individually by
members of the society. Private users of water are the principal agents
for its development and management and private investments need to be
actively promoted in the water sector, ensuring equal opportunity to all.
However, development of water resources often requires large and lumpy
capital investment and generates economies of scale, which justifies
public sector involvement. Government's role also becomes important
because of the necessity of protecting the needs of the society at large
and addressing important environmental as well as social issues such as
poverty alleviation and human resources development.
Water resources management in Bangladesh faces immense challenge for
resolving many diverse problems and issues. The most critical of these are
alternating flood and water scarcity during the wet and the dry seasons,
ever-expanding water needs of a growing economy and population, and
massive river sedimentation and bank erosion. There is a growing need for
providing total water quality management (checking salinity, deterioration
of surface water and groundwater quality, and water pollution), and
maintenance of the eco-system. There is also an urgency to satisfy
multi-sector water needs with limited resources, promote efficient and
socially responsible water use, delineate public and private
responsibilities, and decentralise state activities where appropriate. All
of these have to be accomplished under severe constraints, such as the
lack of control over rivers originating outside the country's borders, the
difficulty of managing the deltaic plain, and the virtual absence of
unsettled land for building water structures.
The
water policy provided here under, lays down the broad principles of
development of water resources and their rational utilisation under these
constraints. It will help guide both public and private actions in the
future for ensuring optimal development and management of water that
benefits both individuals and the society at large.
2. Declaration of National Water Policy
As
water is essential for human survival, socio-economic development of the
country and preservation of its natural environment, it is the policy of
the Government of Bangladesh that all necessary means and measures will be
taken to manage the water resources of the country in a comprehensive,
integrated and equitable manner. The policies enunciated herein are
designed to ensure continued progress towards fulfilling the national
goals of economic development, poverty alleviation, food security, public
health and safety, decent standard of living for the people and protection
of the natural environment.
The
National Water Policy will be reviewed periodically and revised as
necessary. It will guide management of the country's water resources by
all the concerned ministries, agencies, departments, and local bodies that
are assigned responsibilities for the development, maintenance, and
delivery of water and water related services as well as the private users
and developers of water resources.
3. Objectives of National Water Policy
The
water policy of the government aims to provide direction to all agencies
working with the water sector, and institutions that relate to the water
sector in one form or another, for achievement of specified objectives.
These objectives are broadly:
a. To address issues related to the
harnessing and development of all forms of surface water and ground water
and management of these resources in an efficient and equitable manner
b. To ensure the availability of water to
all elements of the society including the poor and the underprivileged,
and to take into account the particular needs of women and children
c. To accelerate the development of
sustainable public and private water delivery systems with appropriate
legal and financial measures and incentives, including delineation of
water rights and water pricing
d. To bring institutional changes that will
help decentralise the management of water resources and enhance the role
of women in water management
e. To develop a legal and regulatory
environment that will help the process of decentralisation, sound
environmental management, and improve the investment climate for the
private sector in water development and management
f. To develop a state of knowledge and
capability that will enable the country to design future water resources
management plans by itself with economic efficiency, gender equity, social
justice and environmental awareness to facilitate achievement of the water
management objectives through broad public participation
4. National Water Policy
The
policies set forth herein arc considered essential for addressing the
objectives of improved water resources management and protection of the
environment. Every public agency, every community, village and each
individual has an important role to play in ensuring that the water and
associated natural resources of Bangladesh are used judiciously so that
the future generations can be assured of at least the same, if not better,
availability and quality of those resources.
4.1 River Basin
Management
Basin planning provides
the most rational basis of development of water resources under the
influence of one or more major rivers. International river basins,
however, such as the Ganges basin, the Brahmaputra basin, and the Meghna
basin present special problems. Due to its location as the lower-most
riparian, Bangladesh has no control over the rivers entering through its
borders. The adverse effects of this are the floods and water scarcity,
which occur frequently. Although the 1996 Treaty on Sharing of the
Ganges Waters with India has brought some relief to the drought prone
area of the southwest, the water shortage problem during the dry season
is likely to aggravate in the Ganges and other basins with rising
demands of the increasing population. It is, however, encouraging to
note that the relevant provision of the treaty will provide the basis in
the future for discussion on sharing of waters of the common rivers.
It may take
considerable effort and time for Bangladesh to work out joint plans for
different river basins with other co-riparian countries. As a long-term
measure, therefore, it is the policy of the government to undertake
essential steps for realising basin-wide planning for development of the
resources of the rivers entering its borders.
The Government will
endeavour to enter into agreements with co-riparian countries for
sharing the waters of international rivers, data exchange, resource
planning and long-term management of water resources under normal and
emergency conditions of flood, drought and water pollution. While moving
towards the attainment of basin-wide plans in the long run, it will also
be necessary for Bangladesh to concentrate on the development of
individual hydrological areas to meet short and intermediate term
requirements.
The policy of the
Government of Bangladesh, in the short and intermediate term, for
fostering international cooperation in water management is, in italics
letter, to:
a. Work with co-riparian countries to establish a system for exchange of
information and data on relevant aspects of hydrology, morphology, water
pollution, ecology, changing watershed characteristics, cyclone, drought,
flood warning, etc., and to help each other understand the current and
emerging problems in the management of the shared water sources.
b. Work with
co-riparian countries for a joint assessment of all the international
river through their territories for better understanding of the overall
basins' potentials.
c. Work jointly with co-riparian countries to harness, develop, and
share the water resources of the international rivers to mitigate floods
and augment flows of water during the dry season.
d. Make concerted efforts, in collaboration with co-riparian countries,
for management of the catchment areas with the help of afforestation and
erosion control for watershed preservation and reduction of land
degradation.
e. Work jointly with
co-riparian countries for the prevention of chemical and biological
pollution of the rivers flowing through these countries, by managing the
discharge of industrial, agricultural and domestic pollutants generated
by human action.
f. Seek international and regional
cooperation for education, training, and research in water management.
4.2 Planning and
Management of Water Resources
The Government recognizes that the process of planning and managing
water resources requires a comprehensive and integrated analysis of
relevant hydrological, topographical, social, political, economic,
environmental and institutional factors across all related water-using
sectors.
The intricate nature of
drainage systems within the country requires that activity for planning
and management of the nation's river systems is undertaken within the
context of hydrological regions. The principal river systems create
natural boundaries for these regions. The hilly areas of the east form
another hydrological region.
Henceforth, to address these issues the policy of the Government will be
as follows:
a. The Water
Resources Planning Organisation (WARPO)
will delineate the hydrological regions of the country, based on
appropriate natural features. for planning the development of their
water resources.
b.
WARPO will prepare, and periodically
update, a National Water Management Plan (NWMP) addressing the overall
resource management issues in each region and the whole of Bangladesh,
and providing directions for the short, intermediate, and long runs. The
plan will be executed by different agencies as determined by the
Government from time to time
c. The NWMP and all other related plans will be prepared in
comprehensive and integrated manner, with regard for the interests of
all water-related sectors. The planning methodology will ensure
co-operation across sectors and people's participation in the process.
Within the macro
framework of the NWMP:
d. Sector agencies of the Government and local bodies will prepare and
implement sub regional and local water management plans in conformance
with the NWMP and approved Government project appraisal guidelines. The
Executive Committee of the National Water Resources Council (ECNWRC)
will resolve any interagency conflict in this regard.
e. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) will implement all
major surface water development projects and other FCDI projects with
command area above 1000 hectares. The Local Government will implement
FCDI projects having a command area of 1000 hectares or less after
identification and appraisal through an interagency Project Appraisal
Committee. Any interagency dispute will be resolved by means prescribed
by the Government.
f. The participation of
all project affected persons, individually and collectively, will be
ensured in the planning, design, implementation, and operation and
maintenance (O&M) of publicly funded surface water resources development
plans and projects. Local Governments (Parishads) will be the principal
agencies for coordinating these efforts. Community level self-help
groups (private) and Non-Government Organisations will also be relied on
to assist in the participatory process.
The Government will further:
g. Frame rules, procedures, and guidelines for combining water-use and
land-use planning
h. Frame, and periodically revise; the rules, procedures and guidelines
on all aspects of water management
i.Make social and
environmental assessments mandatory in all plan development
Through its responsible
agencies, the Government will:
j.Undertake
comprehensive development and management of the main system of barrages
and other structural and non-structural measures
k. Develop water resources of the major rivers for multipurpose for
fisheries, navigation, forestry, and aquatic wildlife
1.De-silt watercourses to maintain navigation channels and proper
drainage
m. Delineate water-stress areas based on land characteristics and water
availability from all
sources for managing dry season demand
n. Take steps to protect the water quality and ensure efficiency of its
use
o.Develop early warning and flood-proofing systems to manage natural
disasters like flood and drought
p. Designate flood risk zones and take appropriate measures to provide
desired levels of protection for life, property, vital infrastructure,
agriculture and wetlands. In this regard the following principles will
guide future action:
i. Regions of economic importance such as metropolitan areas, sea and
air ports, and export processing zones will be fully protected against
floods as a matter of first priority. Other critical areas such as
district and upazila towns, important commercial centers, and places of
historical importance will be gradually provided reasonable degree of
protection against flood. In the remaining rural areas, with the
exception of those already covered by existing flood control
infrastructure, the people will be motivated to develop different flood
proofing measures such as raising of platform for homesteads, market
places, educational institutions, community centers, etc., and adjusting
the cropping pattern to suit the flood regime.
ii. In future all national and regional highways, railway tracks, and
public buildings and facilities will be constructed above the highest
ever-recorded level of flood in the country. This principle will also
apply in cases of reconstruction of existing structures of this nature.
iii. All plans for roads and railways embankment will adequately provide
for unimpeded drainage.
q. Undertake survey and investigation of the problem of riverbank
erosion and develop and implement master plans for river training and
erosion control works for preservation of scarce land and prevention of
landlessness and pauperisation.
r. Plan and implement schemes for reclamation of land from the sea and
rivers.
4.3 Water Rights and
Allocation
The ownership of water does not vest in an individual but in the state.
The Government reserves the right to allocate water to ensure equitable
distribution, efficient development and use, and to address poverty. The
Government can redirect its use during periods of droughts, floods,
cyclones, and other natural and man-made disasters, such as
contamination of groundwater aquifers that threaten public health and
the ecological integrity. Allocation rules will be the formal mechanism
for deciding who gets water, for what purpose(s), how much, at what
time, for how long, and under what circumstances water use may be
curtailed. Rules for water allocation will be developed for in-stream
needs (ecological, water quality, salinity control, fisheries and
navigation) during low-flow periods; for off-stream withdrawal
(irrigation, municipal and industrial, power), and for groundwater
recharge and abstraction. Allocation for non-consumptive use (e.g.
navigation would imply ensuring minimum levels in water bodies used for
that purpose.
Henceforth, the policy
of the Government to regulate the use of water, where required, will be
exercised in the following manner:
a. The Government will
exercise its water allocation power in identified scarcity zones on the
basis of specified priorities.
b. In general, the priority for allocating water during critical periods
in the water shortage zones will be in the following order: domestic and
municipal uses, non-consumptive uses (e.g. navigation, fisheries and
wild-life), sustenance of the river regime, and other consumptive and
non-consumptive uses such as irrigation, industry, environment, salinity
management, and recreation. The above order of priority could however be
changed ~n specific socio-economic criteria of an area by local bodies
through local consensus.
c. For sustaining rechargeable shallow groundwater aquifers, the
Government will regulate the extraction of water in the identified
scarcity zones with full public knowledge.
d. Specific drought monitoring and contingency plans will be prepared
for each region experiencing recurrent seasonal shortages of water with
due consideration to conjunctive use of rainwater, surface water and
ground water and alternative ways of satisfying demand. The contingency
plan will include action to limit the use of groundwater according to
priorities. Appropriate provisions of law should be made to protect
specific users' rights in these extreme cases.
e. The Government may
empower the local government or any local body it deems fit, to exercise
its right to allocate water in scarcity zones during periods of severe
drought, and it will monitor the water regime and enforcement of the
regulations through specifically designed mechanisms.
f. The Government may confer water rights on
private and community bodies to provide secure, defensible and enforceable
ownership/usufructuary rights to ground water and surface water for
attracting private investment.
g. In specifying surface water rights, the
minimum the conveyance channel will be ensured.
4.4 Public and
Private Involvement
Water resources management requires involvement of the public and
private sectors, communities and individuals that benefit from the
delivery of water-related services. The ultimate success and
effectiveness of public water resources management projects depends on
the people's acceptance and ownership of each project. It is important
to delineate the roles and responsibilities of every one involved in
water resources management. The principle that community resources
should be managed by the community concerned, along with local
government institutions unless a greater national interest prevails,
should guide water resource management. It is recognised that women have
a particular stake in water management because they are the principal
providers and carriers of water, main caretaker of the family's health,
and participants in many stages of pre and post harvest activities. The
policies of the Government regarding the respective roles of the public
and private sectors are:
a. Government's
investments in water programme will be directed towards creation of
public goods or for addressing specific problems of market failure and
protecting particular community interests.
b. Policies and programmes of any public agency involving water
resources will be coordinated with the policies and programmes of all
other public and private bodies to build synergy and avoid conflict.
c. Public water institutions will, to the extent feasible, use private
providers of specific water resources services in carrying out their
mandates, giving preference to beneficiary groups and organisations.
d. The management of public water schemes, barring municipal schemes,
with command area up to 5000 ha will be gradually made over to local and
community organisations and their O&M will be financed through local
resources.
e. Public water
schemes, barring municipal schemes, with municipal area of over 5000 ha
will be gradually placed under private management, through leasing,
concession, or management contract under open competitive bidding
procedures, or jointly managed by the project implementing agency along
with local government and community organisations.
f. Ownership of FCD and FCDI projects with
command area of 1000 ha or less will gradually be transferred to the local
governments, beginning with the ones that are Heinz satisfactorily managed
and operated by the beneficiary/ community organisations.
g. Appropriate public and private
institutions will provide information and training to the local community
organisations for managing water resources efficiently.
h. Enabling environment will be created for
women to play a key role in local community organisations for management
of water resources.
i. Government, where appropriate, will
restructure its present institutions and design all future institutions
for efficient implementation of the above policies.
4.5 Public Water
Investment
The Government considers that a consistent and uniformly applied
analytical framework for project appraisal is essential to equitable,
efficient and effective water resources management. A true
multi-objective analysis of the water needs of an area, and the
formulation of options for investment and management must consider the
interrelations among different sources of water, different management
schemes and the interaction between needs of different users and
purposes. Investments in infrastructure may displace people and disturb
ecosystems and, as such, broader water resources planning assessments
and specific project appraisals must consider these cross-sectoral
implications.
The policy of the
Government in this regard is to ensure that:
a. Water resource
projects, as far as possible, are developed as multipurpose projects
with an integrated multi-disciplinary approach from planning to
implementation to monitoring.
b.Planning and feasibility studies of all projects will follow the
Guidelines for Project Assessment (GPA), the Guidelines for People's
Participation (GPP), the Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA), and all other instructions that may be issued from time to time
by the Government.
c. All relevant analytical procedures and evaluation methods, such as
mathematical modeling, physical modeling, cost-benefit analysis, risk
analysis and multi-criteria decision making are routinely used as part
of water resources planning and project appraisal.
d. Public water projects arc designed with specific provision for future
disinvestmen, if and when feasible.
e. Interests of
low-income water users, and the women, are adequately protected in water
resource management.
f. There is continuous updating and
archiving of water resource data and basic information by relevant public
sector agencies.
4.6 Water Supply and Sanitation
The rural areas of Bangladesh suffer from lack of quality drinking
water. Surface water supplies are generally polluted and groundwater,
which till now had been the best source of safe drinking water, is
contaminated with arsenic in many parts of the country. Heavy
withdrawals of groundwater for irrigation have also lowered the water
table in many areas below the effective reach of hand tubewells. Seepage
of agro chemicals into shallow aquifers may also pollute water for human
and animal consumption. Salinity intrusions from seawater deep into the
land in the southwest are rendering groundwater unfit for consumption.
Cities and urban areas too are facing the problem of receding water
table due to heavy groundwater extraction. These water supply and
sanitation problems have obvious implications for public health.
Diarrheal diseases, arising largely from drinking unsafe water, are a
leading cause of death in the rural areas. Lack of proper sanitation and
drainage facilities, inadequate water supply, and insufficient health
and hygiene education are the primary causes of diseases in the urban
areas. Lack of access to safe water supply in the rural areas is a
special hardship for women who have to carry water over long distances,
with significant impact on their health and productivity.
To address these problems, it is the policy of the Government to:
a. Facilitate availability of safe and affordable drinking water
supplies through various means, including rainwater harvesting and
conservation.
b. Preserve natural depressions and water bodies underground aquifers
and rainwater management.
c. Mandate relevant public water and sewerage institutions to provide
necessary drainage and sanitation, including treatment of domestic
wastewater and sewage and replacement of open drains and construction of
sewers, in the interest of public health.
d. Empower, and hold responsible, municipalities and urban water and
sewerage institution regulate the use of water for preventing wastage
and pollution by human action.
e.Mandate local
governments to create awareness among the people in check pollution and
wastage.
4.7 Water and Agriculture
Support of private development of groundwater irrigation for promoting
agricultural growth will continue, alongside surface water development
where feasible. But there will be a renewed focus towards increasing
efficiency of water use in irrigation through various measures including
drainage-water recycling, rotational irrigation, adoption of water
conserving crop technology where feasible, and conjunctive use of
groundwater and surface water.
Water allocations in irrigation systems have to be done with equity and
social justice. At the same time, serious consideration should be given
to non-point pollution of water systems by fertilizer and pesticides
that are either leached to the groundwater or washed off the fields to
rivers and lakes.
For this purpose, the policy of the Government is to:
a. Encourage and promote continued development of minor irrigation,
where feasible, with affecting drinking water supplies
b. Encourage future groundwater development for irrigation by both the
public and the private sectors, subject to regulations that may be
prescribed by Government from time to time.
c. Improve efficiency of resource utilisation through conjunctive use of
all forms of surface water and groundwater for irrigation and urban
water supply.
d. Strengthen crop diversification programmes for efficient water
utilisation.
e. Strengthen the
regulatory system for agricultural chemicals that pollute ground and
surface water, and develop control mechanism for reducing non-point
pollution from agro chemicals.
f.
Strengthen appropriate monitoring organisations for tracking groundwater
recharge, surface and groundwater use, and changes in surface and
groundwater quality.
Excessive water salinity in the southwest region is a major deterrent to
industrial growth. Also, pollution of both surface and groundwater
around various industrial centers of the country by untreated effluent
discharge into water bodies is a critical water management issue. The
policy of the Government in this regard is that:
a. Zoning regulations will be established for location of new industries
in consideration of fresh and safe water availability and effluent
discharge possibilities.
b. Effluent disposal will be monitored by relevant Government agencies
to prevent water pollution.
c.Standards of effluent disposal into common watercourses will be set by
WARPO in consultation with DOE.
d.Industrial polluters
will be required under law to pay for the cleanup of water- body
polluted by them.
4.9 Water and
Fisheries and Wildlife
Fisheries and wildlife are integral aspects of economic development in
Bangladesh and strongly linked to advancement of target groups, poverty
alleviation, nutrition, and employment generation. Availability of water
for fisheries is thus important from the point of view of sustenance as
well as commercial ventures. It is, therefore, the policy of the
Government that:
a. Fisheries and
wildlife will receive due emphasis in water resource planning in areas
where their social impact is high.
b. Measures will be taken to minimise disruption to the natural aquatic
and water channels.
c. Drainage schemes, to the extent possible, will avoid state-owned
swamps and marshes that have primary value for waterfowl or other
wildlife.
d. Water bodies like baors, haors, beels, roadside burrow pits, etc.
will, as far as possible, be reserved for fish production and
development. Perennial links of the water with the rivers will also be
properly maintained.
e. Water development
plans will not interrupt fish movement and will make adequate provisions
in control structures for allowing fish migration and breeding.
f. Brackish aqua culture will be confined to
specific zones designated by the Government for this purpose.
4.10 Water and
Navigation
Inland navigation is of substantial economic importance to Bangladesh
because its numerous watercourses provide the cheapest means of
transportation. Siltation, however, has disrupted river communications
in many water channels. De-siltation of these channels is required not
only to restore their navigational capability but also to assist surface
drainage. The policies of the Government in this regard are:
a. Water development projects should cause minimal disruption to
navigation and, where necessary, adequate mitigation measures should be
taken.
b. Minimum stream-flows in designated rivers and streams will be
maintained for navigation after diversion of water for drinking and
municipal purposes.
c. Dredging and other suitable measures would be undertaken, wherever
needed to maintain navigational capability of designated waterways.
4.11 Water for
Hydropower and Recreation
Bangladesh has limited potential for hydropower due to its flat terrain
and the absence of suitable reservoir area. However, it may be possible
to build mini hydropower plants at small dam and barrage sites. A major
environmental concern of hydropower development is the impediment to a
river's natural flow imposed by structures built on it. A hydropower
facility may be restrictive for, fish movement also.
Use of water for recreational purposes is useful for developing tourism
facilities. Introducing these facilities at the sites of reservoirs,
lakes, dighis (big ponds), sea resorts, etc. would help the tourism
industry of the country. The policy of the Government is therefore that:
a. Mini-hydropower development schemes may be undertaken provided they
are eco viable and environmentally safe.
b. Recreational activities at or around water bodies will be allowed
provided it is not damaging to the environment.
4.12 Water for the
Environment
Protection and preservation of the natural environment is essential for
sustainable development. Given that most of the country's environmental
resources are linked to water resources, it is vital that the continued
development and management of the nation's water resources should
include the protection, restoration, and preservation of the environment
and its bio-diversity including wetlands, mangrove and other national
forests, endangered species, and the water quality. Accordingly, water
resource management actions will take care to avoid or minimise
environmental damages.
Water quantity and water quality issues are uniquely linked. Poor water
quality affects the availability of fresh water for different uses.
Contamination of surface water bodies and groundwater aquifers by
agricultural pollutants, industrial discharge, domestic pollution, and
non-point source urban runoff exacerbate water quality problems and
endanger both natural ecosystem integrity and public health. Other
environmental problems include: excessive soil erosion and
sedimentation, water logging and salinisation of agricultural land,
groundwater depletion, watershed degradation and deforestation;
reduction of biodiversity, wetland loss. saltwater intrusion, and
coastal zone habitat loss.
Henceforth, all agencies and departments entrusted with water resource
management responsibilities (regulation, planning, construction,
operation, and maintenance) will have to enhance environmental amenities
and ensure that environmental resources are protected and restored in
executing their tasks. Environmental needs and objectives will be
treated equally with the resources management needs. It is, therefore,
the policy of the government at all water management agencies and
related natural resources departments will:
a. Give full consideration to environmental protection, restoration and
enhancement measures consistent with the National Environmental
Management Action Plan (NRMAPI and the National Water Management Plan (NWMP).
b. Adhere to a formal
environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, as set out in EIA
guidelines and manuals for water sector projects, in each water
resources development project or rehabilitation programme of size and
scope specified by the Government from time to time.
c. Ensure adequate upland flow in water channels to preserve ecosystem
threatened by intrusion of salinity from the sea.
d. Protect against degradation and resuscitate natural water-bodies such
as lakes, ponds, beels. khals, tanks, etc. affected by man-made
interventions or other causes.
e. Completely stop the
filling of publicly-owned water bodies and depressions in urban areas
for preservation of the natural aquifers and environment.
f. Take necessary steps to remove all
existing unauthorised encroachments on rivers and watercourses and to
check further encroachments that cause obstructions to water flows and
create environmental hazards.
g. Stop unplanned construction on riverbanks
and indiscriminate clearance of vegetation on newly accreted land.
h. Encourage massive afforestation and tree
coverage specifically in areas with declining water table.
i. Enforce the "polluter pay" principle in
the development of regulatory guide lines for all regulatory actions
designed to protect public health and the environment.
j. Provide education and information to the
industrial and farming communities on self-administered pollution control
mechanisms and their individual and collective responsibilities for
maintaining clean water sources.
4.13 Water for Preservation of
Haors, Baors, and Beels
Water bodies like haors,
baors, and beels are precious assets of Bangladesh with unique regional
characteristics. Apart from their scenic beauty, they have great
economical and environmental value. Even during extremely dry seasons,
when the smaller beels turn into quagmires, the haors and the baors
retain considerable amount of water. These water bodies account for a
large share of the natural capture fisheries and provide a habitat for a
wide variety of aquatic vegetation and birds. They also provide
sanctuary to migratory birds during winter. The haors and the beels
usually connect to some adjoining river through khals.
In the past, many beels
have been drained through engineering interventions and turned into
cropland for immediate gains. The adverse effects of such interventions
have been deleterious to the environment. They have destroyed the fish
and aquatic vegetables that thrive in these wetlands and are important
in the diet of the rural poor. They have also blocked the flow of
wastes, discharged from the flood plains and domestic sources, which
naturally move out of the beels through the khals into the river's
drainage system. Only submersible dikes have provided tangible benefits
in certain haor areas by enabling cultivation of high yielding variety
boro rice, The Government believes that in order to assist the natural
processes of groundwater recharge, maintenance of .aquatic life and
ecological balance, disposal of wastes through the dynamic river system,
and for turning the huge water bodies into recreational areas, their
planned development is essential.
It is, therefore, the policy of the Government that:
a. Natural water bodies such as beels, haors, and baors will be
preserved for maintaining the aquatic environment and facilitating
drainage.
b.Only those water related projects will be taken up for execution that
will not interface with the aquatic characteristics of those water
bodies.
c. Haors that naturally dry up during the winter will be developed for
dry season agriculture
d. Take up integrated projects in those water bodies for increasing fish
production.
e. Natural water bodies
will be developed, where possible, for recreational use in support of
tourism.
4.14 Economic and Financial
Management
Changes are required in the system of prices and other economic
incentives affecting water demand and supply in Bangladesh. Unless the
users pay a price for water, there will be a tendency to misuse and
deplete it under scarcity conditions. Desirable practices such as
conjunctive use, water-saving agricultural and industrial technologies,
water harvesting, water transfers, and water recycling, both within and
between sectors, will emerge only when users perceive the scarcity value
of water.
A system of cost
recovery, pricing, and economic incentives/disincentives is necessary to
balance the supply and demand of water. Cost recovery of services such
as flood control, drainage, irrigation, and wastewater treatment has not
been considered adequately. Failure to recover O&M cost leads to decline
of service quality and deterioration of the system. This, in turn, makes
the consumers less willing to pay for the deteriorating services. An
important principle, for the long-term, in this regard is that public
service agencies should be converted into financially autonomous
entities, with effective authority to charge and collect fees. The
participation of users in managing and maintaining water facilities and
operations is an important element of financial accountabilitv. It is,
therefore, the policy of the Government that:
a.Water will be
considered an economic resource and priced to convey its scarcity value
to all users and provide motivation for its conservation. For the
foreseeable future, however, cost recovery for flood control and
drainage (FCD) projects is not envisaged in this policy. In case of
flood control, drainage, and irrigation (FCDI) projects water rates will
be charged for O&M as per Government rules.
b.Relevant public water supply agencies will be gradually given
authority to charge for their services.
c.Recovery of O&M cost will, as far as possible, be made through private
collection means such as leasing and other financial options.
Beneficiaries and other target groups will be given preference for such
contracts.
d.The pricing structure will match the goals and needs of the water
provider and the population served. Water rates will be lower for basic
consumption, increasing with commercial and industrial use. The rates
for surface and groundwater will reflect, to the extent possible, their
actual cost of delivery.
e.Water charges
realised from beneficiaries for O&M in a project for the provision of
services within that project.
f.Effective beneficiary participation and
commitment to pay for O&M will be realised at the project identification
and planning stages by respective public agencies.
g. Appropriate financial
incentives will be introduced for water re-use and conservation,
responsible use of groundwater, and for preventing over exploitation and
Pollution.
4.15 Research and Information
Management
Informing policy makers of the choice of appropriate technology to meet
policy goals and make them aware of their significance and impact is an
essential requirement of a dynamic water management policy. It is
important to reach a common understanding between specialists, planners,
politicians and the general public about the changing environment and the
optimal ways and means of achieving the national water management goals.
As management decisions become increasingly complex and information
sensitive, the demand for supporting research and information management
increases.
It is the policy of the Government in this regard to:
a. Develop a central
database and management information system (MIS) consolidating
information from various data collection and research agencies on the
existing hydrological systems, supply and use of national water
resources, water quality, and the eco-system.
b. Restructure and strengthen, where appropriate, water resource and
agriculture research institutions to undertake systematic research and
analysis of water and land management issues and problems arising both
nationally and internationally.
c. Investigate thoroughly important flood control and management issues,
such as of coastal polders, for guiding future policy on structural
interventions.
d. Investigate
important sociological issues, such as the phenomenon of interference
with water structures (e.g. public cuts), and the motives and
conflicting interests behind them, to assist the process of building
public support and acceptance of government water management programmes.
e. Strengthen and promote the public and private research organisations
and universities to:
i. Develop and disseminate appropriate ground water and surface water.
ii. Develop and promote water management techniques to prevent wastage
and generate efficiency of water and energy use.
iii. Produce skilled professionals for water management.
4.16 Stake holder Participation
Decisions regarding water resources management can affect nearly every
sector of the economy and the public as a whole, and stake holder
participation should be established in a form that elicits direct input
from people at all levels of engagement. Stake holder involvement should
be an integral part of water resources management, at all stages of the
project cycle. Towards that objective there should be a complete
reorientation of the institutions for increasing the role of stake
holders and the civil society in decision making and implementation of
water projects. The Government has to be at the core of the effort to
help build the local institutions and to impart a precise awareness of
the issues and an unambiguous understanding of their role in water
management. Similarly, Government must lead the effort to ensure greater
participation of women in this endeavour.
In order to ensure that
all stake holders actively and fruitfully participate in watch
management decision making at all stages, it is the policy of the
Government that:
a. The "Guidelines for
People's Participation (GPP) in Water Development Projects" be adhered
to as part of project planning by all institutions and agencies involved
in public sector management of water resources.
b. Guidelines for
formation of water user groups (WUG) and similar community organisations
will be formulated.
c. Generally 25 percent of the earthwork of any public water project
will be offered to specific target groups or beneficiaries.
d. All opportunities arc explored and efforts undertaken to ensure that
the landless and other disadvantaged group are directly involved in
participatory management of local water resources.
e. New projects
proposed by a community or local institution will be considered for
implementation on a priority basis only when the beneficiaries have
mobilised a certain percentage of the total cost as their contribution
to the project.
The governance and
management of the national water resources require a great deal of
coordination of existing institutions and in some cases reform and
creation of new community based institutions. Water resources management
extends across many water using sectors as well as political
jurisdictions and geographically and hydrologically diverse areas.
Properly functioning institutions are essential for effective
implementation and administration of the country is water and related
environmental resource management policies and directives.
The Government will
restructure and strengthen, where appropriate, the existing institutions
to ensure that the agenda for reform and the action plan is implemented
efficiently. Two important principles will govern institutional
restructuring. Firstly, there should be separation of policy, planning,
and regulatory functions from implementation and operational functions
at each level of government. Secondly, each institution must he held
accountable for financial and operational performance.
It is the policy of the Government that:
a. The Government will formulate a framework for institutional reform,
to guide all water sector related activities. It will periodically
review the mandates of all water sector institutions and redefine their
respective roles, as necessary, to ensure efficient and effective
institutions commensurate with changing needs and priorities.
b. The National Water Resources Council (NWRC) will coordinate all water
resources management activities in the country, and particularly:
i. Formulate policy on different aspects of water resource management.
ii. Provide directions for optimal development and utilisation of the
national water resources.
iii. Oversee the preparation and implementation of the National Water
Management Plan.
iv. Provide directions on the development of efficient institutions for
managing the water resources.
v. Provide policy
policy directives for appropriate coordination among different water
sector agencies.
vi. Look after any other water resource
management matter that may require us attention.
c. The Executive Committee of the National Water Resources Council (ECNWRC)
will have the following responsibilities:
i. It will provide directives on all matters relating to the planning,
management, and coordination of water resources across all sectors, as
may be required by the NWRC.
ii. It will guide water
management institutions at the national, regional, and local levels in
the formulation and implementation of policies and plans for improved
water management and investment.
iii. It will apprise and advise the National Water Resource Council
periodically on matters of water resource management.
d required from time to
time, by the NWRC.
e. WARPO will be the exclusive government institution for macro level
water resource planning. It will also serve as the Executive Secretariat
of the ECNWRC with the following principal responsibilities:
i. Providing administrative, technical, and legal support to the
ECNWRC.
ii. Advising the ECNWRC on policy, planning, and regulatory matters of
water resources and related land and environmental management.
iii. Preparing and
periodically updating the National Water Management Plan for approval of
the NWRC.
iv. Setting up and updating the National Water Resource Database (NWRD)
and Information Management System.
v. Acting as a "clearing house" for all water sector projects identified
different agencies and reporting to the ECNWRC on their conformity to
the NWMP.
vi. Undertaking any special study, as may be required by the ECNWRC, for
fulfilling the objectives and programmes envisaged in the National Water
Policy and the Bangladesh Water and Flood Management Strategy.
vii. Performing any
other function as may be assigned to it from time to time by the
Government.
e. The Government will lead the effort towards developing grass root
institutions, in conjunction with the civil society, for managing water
resources at community levels.
f. Public water projects wilt include a training component for transfer
of knowledge and technology to the users that will be monitored by the
executing agency at every stage of the project work.
Setting the appropriate
legislative framework is fundamental to effective implementation of the
water policy. The existing legislation related to any form of water
management in Bangladesh requires supplementing in a number of key
areas. This policy will be given effect through a National Water Code
encoding specific provisions of the water policy to facilitate its
implementation.
The policy of the
Government in this regard is:
a. To periodically review the provisions of the body of laws and
regulations that have an impact on water resource management and to
recommend changes and amendments in them for efficient coordination of
the work of different water-related sub sectors.
b. To enact a National
Water Code revising and consolidating the laws governing ownership
development, appropriation, utilisation, conservation, and protection of
water resources.
Source: National
Water Policy
Published by Ministry
of Water Resources
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