PM seeks regional, int'l cooperation to maintain environmental
balance
Jun 5, 2005
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday sought regional and
international cooperation as a requisite for success in
maintaining environmental balance through a national initiative.
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia speaks at the
national function yesterday in observance of the World Environment
Day 2005 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the
city. PHOTO: PID
She said the onus of protecting the earth lies with all.
"We would be able to keep this world safe from an environmental
catastrophe only if we realise this truth and act accordingly," the
Prime Minister said at the national function in observance of the
World Environment Day 2005 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship
Conference Centre.
She reiterated that if any incident destructive to the
environment and ecology takes place in even the farthest corner of
this planet, its effect can cascade over other places. She cited as
a burning example the blistering heat wave sweeping across the
country for the last few days.
"If we look at the records of the past few years, it would appear
that the extremes of nature like heat waves, cold waves, floods and
other types of natural disaster are on the rise throughout the
globe," she told the function.
Ministers, MPs, diplomats, representatives of various
development-partner organisations, environment experts, NGO
personalities and senior government officials were present on the
occasion.
The PM said it will not be enough to observe Environment Day only
once a year environment has to be taken care of on all 365 days of
the year, which is imperative not only for present but also for the
future generations.
'Green Cities-Plan for the Planet' is the theme of this year's
World Environment Day.
Now nearly half the world population lives in urban areas and the
proportion will be more than 60 percent by 2030, the function was
informed.
Khaleda said the government has undertaken a long-term 20-year
plan titled "Dhaka Environment Programme" to check pollution in
Buriganga and other rivers around Dhaka and for overall management
of environment.
She said air pollution got reduced in the city following the
banning of two-stroke autorickshaws. As a result, prevalence of a
number of diseases decreased, saving 25 million US dollars annually
on account of healthcare.
The PM informed the function that her government has taken a
project aimed at further reducing air pollution in Dhaka,
Narayanganj and divisional cities.
Under this project, modern equipment have been set up in Dhaka to
measure ambient air quality continuously and similar instrument will
be set up in Chittagong soon, she said.
Laws will also be framed for keeping the discharge of vehicular
pollutants within tolerable limits to improve the quality of public
health.
Khaleda also told the function that a draft rule for controlling
noise pollution has been prepared that would be finalised after
consultations with mass people.
She said her government has identified five environment-related
issues as crucial at the national level. These are land degradation,
water pollution and scarcity, air pollution, bio-diversity and
natural disaster.
Listing efforts and programmes of the government to make the
divisional headquarters like the capital Dhaka and port city
Chittagong as well as other large towns greener and cleaner, Khaleda
said Dhaka is now more beautiful than at any other time before.
"This claim is not merely ours everybody who came to visit this
country in recent times, including foreign guests and expatriate
Bangladeshis, said so."
Shesaid they viewed that environment consciousness of citizens,
their initiatives and creativity would play a vital role in building
beautiful, clean and green cities and believed that they would be
successful in environmental management and building green cities in
future involving all sections of people.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated an Environment Fair at the
BCFCC and went round some stalls.
Presided over by the Environment and Forest Minister, Tariqul
Islam, the function was also addressed by Finance Minister Saifur
Rahman, State Minister for Environment Zafrul Islam Chowdhury and
UNDP country representative Jorgen Lissner.
source:
http://www.thedailystar.net/
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