WaterAid holds seminar on the deterioration of springs in Bangladesh
WaterAid in Bangladesh organised a seminar on 10 February 2008 entitled Spring Flow Deterioration in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Held in Dhaka, the objective was to share the findings of a recent study and create dialogue on the deterioration of natural water springs in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, located in the southeast corner of Bangladesh. Recent studies have shown that in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, evaporation and sunshine hours are increasing and rainfall is decreasing. This has a marked effect on the area's natural springs, where many local inhabitants source their water. Moreover, there is a 53% reduction in dense forests in the area, reaching up to 99% in some parts. The loss of traditional shifting cultivation techniques, or Jhum techniques, has also been identified as a reason for spring deterioration.
Barrister Raja Devasish Roy from Bangladesh's Department of Environment and Forests was the seminar's keynote speaker. He raised the point that changes in land use were inevitable over time. But he maintained that, regarding agriculture, alternative technologies must take into account the geophysical nature of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The barrister also noted that the scale of poverty in the region leads to deforestation, despite it being against local traditions and religions. Professor A.M.M. Safiullah, Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, recommended that technical, environmental and geological factors need to be looked at more closely. He added that each stream has its particular features, and therefore it is essential that a 'one size fits all' approach is avoided. Professor Safiullah assured those in attendance that "the solution lies within assessing the problem. We need to fully understand the problem to solve it."
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