'Formulate master plan to resolve water crisis'

Speakers at a discussion yesterday called for formulating a master plan for water supply to ease water crisis across the country.
They also urged the government to utilise more surface water than groundwater and take immediate steps to make Buriganga and Shitalakkhya rivers free from pollution in order to use water of these rivers for supply to the city dwellers.
Nagorik Sanghati in association with Actionaid organised the discussion on 'Right to Water and Water Business' at Comrade Moni Singh-Farhad Smrity Trust Bhaban in the city.
The speakers said any move to privatise water supply system as per the prescription of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) would be disastrous, and urged all to resist such commercialisation of water supply.
Lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon said water management plan should involve the entire country, not only the Dhaka city.
Lower and lower middle class people are the worst victims of water crisis, he said.
Managing Director of Dhaka Wasa Taksim A Khan said they are planning to use surface water for 80 percent of water supply to the city dwellers within next ten years.
Speakers at the discussion also said that the government is losing a huge amount of revenue as the owners of the newly constructed buildings are using illegal water connections.
Nagorik Sanghati President Prof ASM Atiqur Rahman presided over the discussion.