Unplanned urbanisation destroying water sources, speakers tell symposium

Two-thirds of the world's population would suffer from severe water crisis by 2025, speakers told a symposium here yesterday, quoting the warning of the United Nations.
The sources of safe water are diminishing due to unplanned urbanisation and industrialisation, said Hossain Kabir, a professor at Chittagong University, who presented the keynote paper.
Moreover the level of underground water is going downing every day in the country, which poses threats of landslide and other natural disasters, he said.
He also pointed out the issue of waste of water in the agricultural sector, saying that when eight lakh shallow tube-wells were sufficient, the country was using 13 lakh tube-wells.
Food security is not possible without the security of safe water, the professor said, adding that water was now made a commodity, although the other name of safe water is life.
Safe water is the basic right of citizens, but it is a big concern if it would be available in the country in the coming days, as water sources are being destroyed indiscriminately, he said.
Rehana Begum Ranu, ward councillor of Chittagong City Corporation, who presided over the symposium, demanded death penalty for those who would have destroyed water-bodies.
Md Bajlul Hoque, executive engineer of Department of Public Health Engineering, Rafiqul Islam Majumder, and Maksudur Rahman were present among others at the symposium.
NGO Forum for Public Health organised the programme on the occasion of World Water Day 2012 at Chittagong Press Club (CPC).