Govt working to save biodiversity of Saint Martin’s, minister tells JS

Environment and Forests Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday informed the parliament that the incumbent government has been implementing various programmes to conserve the biodiversity of the country's major tourist attraction, Saint Martin’s Island.
These programmes included banning of setting up of mills and industries on the island to stop noise pollution, catching and collecting different aquatic animals like tortoises and corals and cutting natural forests and trees.
Replying to a question from treasury bench member M Abdul Latif, the minister gave a detailed description of the government's activities to protect environment and bio-diversity of the country to face climate change consequences.
He said the government has implemented a project titled costal and wetland biodiversity management (CWBM) to protect biodiversity of the country's only coral island Saint Martin’s.
Apart from this, he said the Department of Environment has so far declared 12 areas in the country, including Saint Martins Island as Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) to protect bio-diversity there.
Under this project, mass awareness is being created among the people and Village Conservation Group has been formed to this end.
Replying to a written question, Dr Hasan Mahmud informed the House that a total of 18 projects are being implemented in the coastal areas at a cost of Tk 166 crore under the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) to face climate change challenges.
Besides, he said Tk 73.23 crore and Tk 47.43 crore have been allocated for construction of cyclone resistance houses and forestation in the coastal areas respectively.
Responding to another question from Awami League lawmaker Asma Jerin Jhumu, the minister said the government after assuming office has taken massive programmes to ban polythene shopping bags, their marketing and uses in the shopping malls to save environment.
At the same time, he said the present government has taken steps to increase the use of jute goods instead of polythene bags and advised the business organisations to produce biodegradable polythene to protect environment.