Think of Dhaka city. Three years ago it was foggy at summer mid-day even. Eyes were found burning. People were found wearing masks. Now ! It is clean air. At least of acceptable standard. Why ? Several thousands of two-stroke three-wheelers were emitting life destroying carbon-di-oxide. It is no more there. It has been possible due to strong political commitment and support of the civil society. According to a World Bank estimate, the withdrawal of two-stroke three wheelers from Dhaka City is saving US$ 25 millions a year in health costs. There are ofcourse gas emissions in the city from diesel vehicles. The phasing out programme of the government for diesel vehicles should go on firmly. Situation has improved. An Air Quality Monitoring Station was installed at Sangsad Bhaban and five other satellite stations are working in and around Dhaka City. Another Air Quality Monitoring Station will be in operation in Chittagong hopefully in two months. The government has undertaken project of installing Air Quality Monitoring Stations in Rajshahi and Khulna by 2007. There has been a policy decision not to import diesel vehicles.

A significantly remarkable achievement has also been achieved in banning polythene shopping bags. It is banned by law. Deviations nearing ten percent are found. It is due to gap in demand and supply. And more importantly due to some dishonest businessman. Mobile courts are held. Task force makes drives. Situation appears to be under control. As you are not getting polythene shopping bags, it is a success in public perception. When you see that chimneys in the brick fields are very tall, you can assume that the Department of Environment is working. If one finds that there are scores of application for obtaining environmental certificates, one can think that people have become conscious and the Department of Environment is in motion.

The Environment Preservation Act, 1995 is very tough on industrial pollution. No new industry can come into existence without a no-objection certificate from the Environment Department. The penalty is heavy. One can suffer imprisonment upto 3 years and or a penalty of Taka three lacs for violation of it. Some entrepreneurs are least bothered. In some cases, environment officials are less active. Strict enforcement is required. Efforts to date, however, brought some successes. All industries and factories including those at Hazaribagh set up in the 60's, 70's and 80's were not subject to environmental laws. Damages have already been done. None can use water of the Buriganga nor that of wet lands in and around Dhaka city. It is already polluted. The shifting of tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar, earmarked by the government, is a must. Efforts of the environment department forced about 900 old industrial units to set up industrial effluent treatment plants. A success. Efforts need to be intensified. A recent drive by the Ministry of Environment brought industry leaders to the table of the Environment and Forest Minister Tariqul Isalm. They promised to install effluent treatment plant phase by phase. A committee consisting of business community and officials headed by Director General, DoE is overseeing it. It requires publicity - about law, about public health.

Dhaka is a growing city. Multistoried towers are being established. It means demand for more water, sewerage, electricity and other amenities. Many buildings are seen rising in low lying areas and jheel-beels. Even it is seen on the river banks. There are some good news. Building Code is being updated by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works. Many illegal establishments were demolished by BIWTA under active patronage of the ministry concerned. Circular water flow around the city has taken a real shape. Illegally filled up/occupied canals in the city were restored under the leadership of the LGRD ministry. Illegal occupants near the Sitalakhya Bridge faced legal actions initiated by the Ministry of Shipping. All these good moves should go forward.

Dhaka needs special attention. Last year, the Ministry of Environment and Forests finalised an integrated programme to make Dhaka an environmentally sound city. The document is known as Dhaka Environment Programme. The government's commitment is very evident. An inter-ministerial meeting attended by the Ministers for Agriculture, Environment & forest, Public Works and Housing, Shipping, Water Resources and the Dhaka City Mayor endorsed the document. It requires an integrated approach. The estimated cost is about fifty thousand crores Taka spreading over ten years.

Climate Change is now a world-wide affair. Due to this, seasons in Bangladesh behave erratically. This leads sometimes to drought, sometimes to floods, crops failure etc. It highly bears upon the life style and livelihoods of the people. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has adopted National Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change. All concerned ministries and stakeholders were involved in its preparation. It involves land use, cropping pattern, fisheries, forestation, water management, risk minimisation and disaster management etc. It is giving good results. Negotiations are going on with the Global Environment Facility and other donor agencies for augmenting climate adaptation programme.

This has strong relevance to this year's World Environment Day slogan - "Deserts and Desertification! Don't desert dry lands." The UN General Assembly passed resolution to observe 2006 as the Year of Desertification. To commemorate the year the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has adopted this slogan for World Environment Day. About 20% of the world is desert. 40% of the World population are prone to desertification. The slogan does not say only about deserts proper. When land loses its fertility there is desertification. If we can keep land lively and fertile we shall become immune from desertification. The northern part of Bangladesh faces such problem. It is due to climate change. It is due to human intervention. It is due to withdrawal of water in the upstream. It calls for management of trans-boundary water flow. It requires water conservation. It requires afforestation. The recently concluded 7th SAARC Environment Ministers Meeting in Dhaka reached a consensus on water conservation and management of trans boundary water flow for sustainable environment in South Asia. It also resolved to observe 2007 as the Year of Green South Asia as directed by the SAARC leaders in the Dhaka Declaration adopted at the 13th SAARC Summit. A step forward.

At home, we require water conservation and prudent management. The Barind area in greater Rajshahi is a glaring example of success of Government initiative. It has established infrastructure, water canals, irrigation facilities and undertook afforestation. The area has become green. People are having three crops a year. It is an area which had an average rainfall of 52" in the 1980's and is now having rainfall of 61". Thanks to afforestation.

A dismal situation was prevailing in the forest sector. While in 1970 forests accounted for 30% of total land in Bangladesh, it came down to 9.2% in 1990. Thanks to strong commitment of the government, political will and support of the people, large-scale social afforestation was initiated in the early 1990's. Prime Minister's Award for afforestation was introduced in 1992 and tree fair was introduced in 1994. The efforts have been continuing. Thanks to the valiant people of Bangladesh they have made it a social movement. As per independent survey, over last two decades and a half, forest resources worth 5,000 crores taka were created. A push to national economy. Even during last five year woods worth of Tk. 200 crores were sold under participatory social forestry. To date, Tk. 90 crores have gone to about 55 thousand poor participating families. Again a step forward towards poverty alleviation. Similar amount has gone to government exchequer.

A recent ADB estimate suggests that trees worth of more than one thousand crores taka are still standing under participatory social forestry programme. A Comprehensive programme under social forestry has created 25 thousand hectres of woodlot forests and 20 thousand kilometers of road, railway and embankment forests. A unique success lies in the creation of mangrove coastal forests of 153,000 hectres of land. The government has been pursuing this programme. If one visits coastal islands and char areas one is amazed by seeing large forests there. But human greed is a challenge. If one looks at small hills along the route from Sitakund to Ramgarh one finds young tree springing up. This has been possible due to ongoing project of afforestation of denuded hills. Recent survey suggests that the forest area under tree coverage has increased to about 14% while it was 9.2% in 1990. A noteworthy success. It has been possible due to strong political will, people's participation and relentless efforts of the forest department. There is now more discipline and accountability in the Forest and Environment Departments in comparison with any other time.

Here lies the importance of plantation. It alleviates poverty and adds value to GDP. It absorbs carbon-di-oxide. It contains water and thereby keeps soil alive and fertile. This in turn prevents desertification.

What a beautiful world we live in ! By our misdeeds it should not be a paradise lost.

Jafar Ahmed Chowdhury is the Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests.