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National Water
Policy : Bangladesh
l. Introduction
Water is central to
the way of life in Bangladesh and the single most important
resource for the well-being of its people. It sustains an
extremely fragile natural environment and provides livelihood
for millions of people. Unfortunately, it is not infinite and
cannot be treated as a perpetual free gift of nature to be used
in any manner chosen. The unitary nature of water makes its use
in one form affect the use in another. Its availability for
sustenance of life, in both quantitative and qualitative terms,
is a basic human right and mandates its appropriate use without
jeopardising the interest of any member of the society.
Availability of water,
including rainwater, surface water, and groundwater, in usable
forms calls for its sustainable development, a responsibility
that has to be shared collectively and individually by members
of the society. Private users of water are the principal agents
for its development and management and private investments need
to be actively promoted in the water sector, ensuring equal
opportunity to all. However, development of water resources
often requires large and lumpy capital investment and generates
economies of scale, which justifies public sector involvement.
Government's role also becomes important because of the
necessity of protecting the needs of the society at large and
addressing important environmental as well as social issues such
as poverty alleviation and human resources development.
Water resources
management in Bangladesh faces immense challenge for resolving
many diverse problems and issues. The most critical of these are
alternating flood and water scarcity during the wet and the dry
seasons, ever-expanding water needs of a growing economy and
population, and massive river sedimentation and bank erosion.
There is a growing need for providing total water quality
management (checking salinity, deterioration of surface water
and groundwater quality, and water pollution), and maintenance
of the eco-system. There is also an urgency to satisfy
multi-sector water needs with limited resources, promote
efficient and socially responsible water use, delineate public
and private responsibilities, and decentralise state activities
where appropriate. All of these have to be accomplished under
severe constraints, such as the lack of control over rivers
originating outside the country's borders, the difficulty of
managing the deltaic plain, and the virtual absence of unsettled
land for building water structures.
The water policy
provided here under, lays down the broad principles of
development of water resources and their rational utilisation
under these constraints. It will help guide both public and
private actions in the future for ensuring optimal development
and management of water that benefits both individuals and the
society at large.
2. Declaration of
National Water Policy
As water is essential
for human survival, socio-economic development of the country
and preservation of its natural environment, it is the policy of
the Government of Bangladesh that all necessary means and
measures will be taken to manage the water resources of the
country in a comprehensive, integrated and equitable manner. The
policies enunciated herein are designed to ensure continued
progress towards fulfilling the national goals of economic
development, poverty alleviation, food security, public health
and safety, decent standard of living for the people and
protection of the natural environment.
The National Water
Policy will be reviewed periodically and revised as necessary.
It will guide management of the country's water resources by all
the concerned ministries, agencies, departments, and local
bodies that are assigned responsibilities for the development,
maintenance, and delivery of water and water related services as
well as the private users and developers of water resources.
3. Objectives of
National Water Policy
The water policy of
the government aims to provide direction to all agencies working
with the water sector, and institutions that relate to the water
sector in one form or another, for achievement of specified
objectives. These objectives are broadly:
a. To address issues
related to the harnessing and development of all forms of
surface water and ground water and management of these resources
in an efficient and equitable manner
b. To ensure the
availability of water to all elements of the society including
the poor and the underprivileged, and to take into account the
particular needs of women and children
c. To accelerate the
development of sustainable public and private water delivery
systems with appropriate legal and financial measures and
incentives, including delineation of water rights and water
pricing
d. To bring
institutional changes that will help decentralise the management
of water resources and enhance the role of women in water
management
e. To develop a legal
and regulatory environment that will help the process of
decentralisation, sound environmental management, and improve
the investment climate for the private sector in water
development and management
f. To develop a state
of knowledge and capability that will enable the country to
design future water resources management plans by itself with
economic efficiency, gender equity, social justice and
environmental awareness to facilitate achievement of the water
management objectives through broad public participation
4. National Water
Policy
The policies set forth
herein arc considered essential for addressing the objectives of
improved water resources management and protection of the
environment. Every public agency, every community, village and
each individual has an important role to play in ensuring that
the water and associated natural resources of Bangladesh are
used judiciously so that the future generations can be assured
of at least the same, if not better, availability and quality of
those resources.
4.1 River Basin
Management
Basin planning provides the most rational basis of development
of water resources under the influence of one or more major
rivers. International river basins, however, such as the
Ganges basin, the Brahmaputra basin, and the Meghna basin
present special problems. Due to its location as the
lower-most riparian, Bangladesh has no control over the rivers
entering through its borders. The adverse effects of this are
the floods and water scarcity, which occur frequently.
Although the 1996 Treaty on Sharing of the Ganges Waters with
India has brought some relief to the drought prone area of the
southwest, the water shortage problem during the dry season is
likely to aggravate in the Ganges and other basins with rising
demands of the increasing population. It is, however,
encouraging to note that the relevant provision of the treaty
will provide the basis in the future for discussion on sharing
of waters of the common rivers.
It may take considerable effort and time for Bangladesh to
work out joint plans for different river basins with other
co-riparian countries. As a long-term measure, therefore, it
is the policy of the government to undertake essential steps
for realising basin-wide planning for development of the
resources of the rivers entering its borders.
The Government will endeavour to enter into agreements with
co-riparian countries for sharing the waters of international
rivers, data exchange, resource planning and long-term
management of water resources under normal and emergency
conditions of flood, drought and water pollution. While moving
towards the attainment of basin-wide plans in the long run, it
will also be necessary for Bangladesh to concentrate on the
development of individual hydrological areas to meet short and
intermediate term requirements.
The policy of the Government of Bangladesh, in the short and
intermediate term, for fostering international cooperation in
water management is, in italics letter, to:
a. Work with co-riparian countries to establish a system for
exchange of information and data on relevant aspects of
hydrology, morphology, water pollution, ecology, changing
watershed characteristics, cyclone, drought, flood warning,
etc., and to help each other understand the current and emerging
problems in the management of the shared water sources.
b. Work with co-riparian countries for a joint assessment of
all the international river through their territories for
better understanding of the overall basins' potentials.
c. Work jointly with co-riparian countries to harness,
develop, and share the water resources of the international
rivers to mitigate floods and augment flows of water during
the dry season.
d. Make concerted efforts, in collaboration with co-riparian
countries, for management of the catchment areas with the help
of afforestation and erosion control for watershed
preservation and reduction of land degradation.
e. Work jointly with co-riparian countries for the prevention
of chemical and biological pollution of the rivers flowing
through these countries, by managing the discharge of
industrial, agricultural and domestic pollutants generated by
human action.
f. Seek international
and regional cooperation for education, training, and research
in water management.
4.2 Planning and
Management of Water Resources
The Government recognizes that the process of planning and
managing water resources requires a comprehensive and
integrated analysis of relevant hydrological, topographical,
social, political, economic, environmental and institutional
factors across all related water-using sectors.
The intricate nature of drainage systems within the country
requires that activity for planning and management of the
nation's river systems is undertaken within the context of
hydrological regions. The principal river systems create
natural boundaries for these regions. The hilly areas of the
east form another hydrological region.
Henceforth, to address these issues the policy of the
Government will be as follows:
a. The Water Resources Planning
Organisation (WARPO)
will delineate the hydrological regions of the country, based
on appropriate natural features. for planning the development
of their water resources.
b.
WARPO
will prepare, and periodically update, a
National Water Management Plan (NWMP) addressing the overall
resource management issues in each region and the whole of
Bangladesh, and providing directions for the short,
intermediate, and long runs. The plan will be executed by
different agencies as determined by the Government from time
to time
c. The NWMP and all other related plans will be prepared in
comprehensive and integrated manner, with regard for the
interests of all water-related sectors. The planning
methodology will ensure co-operation across sectors and
people's participation in the process.
Within the macro framework of the NWMP:
d. Sector agencies of the Government and local bodies will
prepare and implement sub regional and local water management
plans in conformance with the NWMP and approved Government
project appraisal guidelines. The Executive Committee of the
National Water Resources Council (ECNWRC) will resolve any
interagency conflict in this regard.
e. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) will
implement all major surface water development projects and
other FCDI projects with command area above 1000 hectares. The
Local Government will implement FCDI projects having a command
area of 1000 hectares or less after identification and
appraisal through an interagency Project Appraisal Committee.
Any interagency dispute will be resolved by means prescribed
by the Government.
f. The participation of all project affected persons,
individually and collectively, will be ensured in the
planning, design, implementation, and operation and
maintenance (O&M) of publicly funded surface water resources
development plans and projects. Local Governments (Parishads)
will be the principal agencies for coordinating these efforts.
Community level self-help groups (private) and Non-Government
Organisations will also be relied on to assist in the
participatory process.
The Government will further:
g. Frame rules, procedures, and guidelines for combining
water-use and land-use planning
h. Frame, and periodically revise; the rules, procedures and
guidelines on all aspects of water management
i.Make social and environmental assessments mandatory in all
plan development
Through its responsible agencies, the Government will:
j.Undertake comprehensive development and management of the
main system of barrages and other structural and
non-structural measures
k. Develop water resources of the major rivers for
multipurpose for fisheries, navigation, forestry, and aquatic
wildlife
1.De-silt watercourses to maintain navigation channels and
proper drainage
m. Delineate water-stress areas based on land characteristics
and water availability from all
sources for managing dry season demand
n. Take steps to protect the water quality and ensure
efficiency of its use
o.Develop early warning and flood-proofing systems to manage
natural disasters like flood and drought
p. Designate flood risk zones and take appropriate measures to
provide desired levels of protection for life, property, vital
infrastructure, agriculture and wetlands. In this regard the
following principles will guide future action:
i. Regions of economic importance such as metropolitan areas,
sea and air ports, and export processing zones will be fully
protected against floods as a matter of first priority. Other
critical areas such as district and upazila towns, important
commercial centers, and places of historical importance will
be gradually provided reasonable degree of protection against
flood. In the remaining rural areas, with the exception of
those already covered by existing flood control
infrastructure, the people will be motivated to develop
different flood proofing measures such as raising of platform
for homesteads, market places, educational institutions,
community centers, etc., and adjusting the cropping pattern to
suit the flood regime.
ii. In future all national and regional highways, railway
tracks, and public buildings and facilities will be
constructed above the highest ever-recorded level of flood in
the country. This principle will also apply in cases of
reconstruction of existing structures of this nature.
iii. All plans for roads and railways embankment will
adequately provide for unimpeded drainage.
q. Undertake survey and investigation of the problem of
riverbank erosion and develop and implement master plans for
river training and erosion control works for preservation of
scarce land and prevention of landlessness and pauperisation.
r. Plan and implement schemes for reclamation of land from the
sea and rivers.
4.3 Water Rights and
Allocation
The ownership of water does not vest in an individual but in
the state. The Government reserves the right to allocate water
to ensure equitable distribution, efficient development and
use, and to address poverty. The Government can redirect its
use during periods of droughts, floods, cyclones, and other
natural and man-made disasters, such as contamination of
groundwater aquifers that threaten public health and the
ecological integrity. Allocation rules will be the formal
mechanism for deciding who gets water, for what purpose(s),
how much, at what time, for how long, and under what
circumstances water use may be curtailed. Rules for water
allocation will be developed for in-stream needs (ecological,
water quality, salinity control, fisheries and navigation)
during low-flow periods; for off-stream withdrawal
(irrigation, municipal and industrial, power), and for
groundwater recharge and abstraction. Allocation for
non-consumptive use (e.g. navigation would imply ensuring
minimum levels in water bodies used for that purpose.
Henceforth, the policy of the Government to regulate the use
of water, where required, will be exercised in the following
manner:
a. The Government will exercise its water allocation power in
identified scarcity zones on the basis of specified
priorities.
b. In general, the priority for allocating water during
critical periods in the water shortage zones will be in the
following order: domestic and municipal uses, non-consumptive
uses (e.g. navigation, fisheries and wild-life), sustenance of
the river regime, and other consumptive and non-consumptive
uses such as irrigation, industry, environment, salinity
management, and recreation. The above order of priority could
however be changed ~n specific socio-economic criteria of an
area by local bodies through local consensus.
c. For sustaining rechargeable shallow groundwater aquifers,
the Government will regulate the extraction of water in the
identified scarcity zones with full public knowledge.
d. Specific drought monitoring and contingency plans will be
prepared for each region experiencing recurrent seasonal
shortages of water with due consideration to conjunctive use
of rainwater, surface water and ground water and alternative
ways of satisfying demand. The contingency plan will include
action to limit the use of groundwater according to
priorities. Appropriate provisions of law should be made to
protect specific users' rights in these extreme cases.
e. The Government may empower the local government or any
local body it deems fit, to exercise its right to allocate
water in scarcity zones during periods of severe drought, and
it will monitor the water regime and enforcement of the
regulations through specifically designed mechanisms.
f. The Government may
confer water rights on private and community bodies to provide
secure, defensible and enforceable ownership/usufructuary rights
to ground water and surface water for attracting private
investment.
g. In specifying
surface water rights, the minimum the conveyance channel will be
ensured.
4.4 Public and
Private Involvement
Water resources management requires involvement of the public
and private sectors, communities and individuals that benefit
from the delivery of water-related services. The ultimate
success and effectiveness of public water resources management
projects depends on the people's acceptance and ownership of
each project. It is important to delineate the roles and
responsibilities of every one involved in water resources
management. The principle that community resources should be
managed by the community concerned, along with local
government institutions unless a greater national interest
prevails, should guide water resource management. It is
recognised that women have a particular stake in water
management because they are the principal providers and
carriers of water, main caretaker of the family's health, and
participants in many stages of pre and post harvest
activities. The policies of the Government regarding the
respective roles of the public and private sectors are:
a. Government's investments in water programme will be
directed towards creation of public goods or for addressing
specific problems of market failure and protecting particular
community interests.
b. Policies and programmes of any public agency involving
water resources will be coordinated with the policies and
programmes of all other public and private bodies to build
synergy and avoid conflict.
c. Public water institutions will, to the extent feasible, use
private providers of specific water resources services in
carrying out their mandates, giving preference to beneficiary
groups and organisations.
d. The management of public water schemes, barring municipal
schemes, with command area up to 5000 ha will be gradually
made over to local and community organisations and their O&M
will be financed through local resources.
e. Public water schemes, barring municipal schemes, with
municipal area of over 5000 ha will be gradually placed under
private management, through leasing, concession, or management
contract under open competitive bidding procedures, or jointly
managed by the project implementing agency along with local
government and community organisations.
f. Ownership of FCD
and FCDI projects with command area of 1000 ha or less will
gradually be transferred to the local governments, beginning
with the ones that are Heinz satisfactorily managed and operated
by the beneficiary/ community organisations.
g. Appropriate public
and private institutions will provide information and training
to the local community organisations for managing water
resources efficiently.
h. Enabling
environment will be created for women to play a key role in
local community organisations for management of water resources.
i. Government, where
appropriate, will restructure its present institutions and
design all future institutions for efficient implementation of
the above policies.
4.5 Public Water
Investment
The Government considers that a consistent and uniformly
applied analytical framework for project appraisal is
essential to equitable, efficient and effective water
resources management. A true multi-objective analysis of the
water needs of an area, and the formulation of options for
investment and management must consider the interrelations
among different sources of water, different management schemes
and the interaction between needs of different users and
purposes. Investments in infrastructure may displace people
and disturb ecosystems and, as such, broader water resources
planning assessments and specific project appraisals must
consider these cross-sectoral implications.
The policy of the Government in this regard is to ensure that:
a. Water resource projects, as far as possible, are developed
as multipurpose projects with an integrated multi-disciplinary
approach from planning to implementation to monitoring.
b.Planning and feasibility studies of all projects will follow
the Guidelines for Project Assessment (GPA), the Guidelines
for People's Participation (GPP), the Guidelines for
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and all other
instructions that may be issued from time to time by the
Government.
c. All relevant analytical procedures and evaluation methods,
such as mathematical modeling, physical modeling, cost-benefit
analysis, risk analysis and multi-criteria decision making are
routinely used as part of water resources planning and project
appraisal.
d. Public water projects arc designed with specific provision
for future disinvestmen, if and when feasible.
e. Interests of low-income water users, and the women, are
adequately protected in water resource management.
f. There is continuous
updating and archiving of water resource data and basic
information by relevant public sector agencies.
4.6 Water
Supply and Sanitation
The rural areas of Bangladesh suffer from lack of quality
drinking water. Surface water supplies are generally polluted
and groundwater, which till now had been the best source of
safe drinking water, is contaminated with arsenic in many
parts of the country. Heavy withdrawals of groundwater for
irrigation have also lowered the water table in many areas
below the effective reach of hand tubewells. Seepage of agro
chemicals into shallow aquifers may also pollute water for
human and animal consumption. Salinity intrusions from
seawater deep into the land in the southwest are rendering
groundwater unfit for consumption. Cities and urban areas too
are facing the problem of receding water table due to heavy
groundwater extraction. These water supply and sanitation
problems have obvious implications for public health.
Diarrheal diseases, arising largely from drinking unsafe
water, are a leading cause of death in the rural areas. Lack
of proper sanitation and drainage facilities, inadequate water
supply, and insufficient health and hygiene education are the
primary causes of diseases in the urban areas. Lack of access
to safe water supply in the rural areas is a special hardship
for women who have to carry water over long distances, with
significant impact on their health and productivity.
To address these problems, it is the policy of the Government
to:
a. Facilitate availability of safe and affordable drinking
water supplies through various means, including rainwater
harvesting and conservation.
b. Preserve natural depressions and water bodies underground
aquifers and rainwater management.
c. Mandate relevant public water and sewerage institutions to
provide necessary drainage and sanitation, including treatment
of domestic wastewater and sewage and replacement of open
drains and construction of sewers, in the interest of public
health.
d. Empower, and hold responsible, municipalities and urban
water and sewerage institution regulate the use of water for
preventing wastage and pollution by human action.
e.Mandate local governments to create awareness among the
people in check pollution and wastage.
4.7 Water
and Agriculture
Support of private development of groundwater irrigation for
promoting agricultural growth will continue, alongside surface
water development where feasible. But there will be a renewed
focus towards increasing efficiency of water use in irrigation
through various measures including drainage-water recycling,
rotational irrigation, adoption of water conserving crop
technology where feasible, and conjunctive use of groundwater
and surface water.
Water allocations in irrigation systems have to be done with
equity and social justice. At the same time, serious
consideration should be given to non-point pollution of water
systems by fertilizer and pesticides that are either leached
to the groundwater or washed off the fields to rivers and
lakes.
For this purpose, the policy of the Government is to:
a. Encourage and promote continued development of minor
irrigation, where feasible, with affecting drinking water
supplies
b. Encourage future groundwater development for irrigation by
both the public and the private sectors, subject to
regulations that may be prescribed by Government from time to
time.
c. Improve efficiency of resource utilisation through
conjunctive use of all forms of surface water and groundwater
for irrigation and urban water supply.
d. Strengthen crop diversification programmes for efficient
water utilisation.
e. Strengthen the regulatory system for agricultural chemicals
that pollute ground and surface water, and develop control
mechanism for reducing non-point pollution from agro
chemicals.
f. Strengthen
appropriate monitoring organisations for tracking groundwater
recharge, surface and groundwater use, and changes in surface
and groundwater quality.
Excessive water salinity in the southwest region is a major
deterrent to industrial growth. Also, pollution of both
surface and groundwater around various industrial centers of
the country by untreated effluent discharge into water bodies
is a critical water management issue. The policy of the
Government in this regard is that:
a. Zoning regulations will be established for location of new
industries in consideration of fresh and safe water
availability and effluent discharge possibilities.
b. Effluent disposal will be monitored by relevant Government
agencies to prevent water pollution.
c.Standards of effluent disposal into common watercourses will
be set by WARPO in consultation with DOE.
d.Industrial polluters will be required under law to pay for
the cleanup of water- body polluted by them.
4.9 Water and
Fisheries and Wildlife
Fisheries and wildlife are integral aspects of economic
development in Bangladesh and strongly linked to advancement
of target groups, poverty alleviation, nutrition, and
employment generation. Availability of water for fisheries is
thus important from the point of view of sustenance as well as
commercial ventures. It is, therefore, the policy of the
Government that:
a. Fisheries and wildlife will receive due emphasis in water
resource planning in areas where their social impact is high.
b. Measures will be taken to minimise disruption to the
natural aquatic and water channels.
c. Drainage schemes, to the extent possible, will avoid
state-owned swamps and marshes that have primary value for
waterfowl or other wildlife.
d. Water bodies like baors, haors, beels, roadside burrow
pits, etc. will, as far as possible, be reserved for fish
production and development. Perennial links of the water with
the rivers will also be properly maintained.
e. Water development plans will not interrupt fish movement
and will make adequate provisions in control structures for
allowing fish migration and breeding.
f. Brackish aqua
culture will be confined to specific zones designated by the
Government for this purpose.
4.10 Water and
Navigation
Inland navigation is of substantial economic importance to
Bangladesh because its numerous watercourses provide the
cheapest means of transportation. Siltation, however, has
disrupted river communications in many water channels. De-siltation
of these channels is required not only to restore their
navigational capability but also to assist surface drainage.
The policies of the Government in this regard are:
a. Water development projects should cause minimal disruption
to navigation and, where necessary, adequate mitigation
measures should be taken.
b. Minimum stream-flows in designated rivers and streams will
be maintained for navigation after diversion of water for
drinking and municipal purposes.
c. Dredging and other suitable measures would be undertaken,
wherever needed to maintain navigational capability of
designated waterways.
4.11 Water for
Hydropower and Recreation
Bangladesh has limited potential for hydropower due to its
flat terrain and the absence of suitable reservoir area.
However, it may be possible to build mini hydropower plants at
small dam and barrage sites. A major environmental concern of
hydropower development is the impediment to a river's natural
flow imposed by structures built on it. A hydropower facility
may be restrictive for, fish movement also.
Use of water for recreational purposes is useful for
developing tourism facilities. Introducing these facilities at
the sites of reservoirs, lakes, dighis (big ponds), sea
resorts, etc. would help the tourism industry of the country.
The policy of the Government is therefore that:
a. Mini-hydropower development schemes may be undertaken
provided they are eco viable and environmentally safe.
b. Recreational activities at or around water bodies will be
allowed provided it is not damaging to the environment.
4.12 Water for the
Environment
Protection and preservation of the natural environment is
essential for sustainable development. Given that most of the
country's environmental resources are linked to water
resources, it is vital that the continued development and
management of the nation's water resources should include the
protection, restoration, and preservation of the environment
and its bio-diversity including wetlands, mangrove and other
national forests, endangered species, and the water quality.
Accordingly, water resource management actions will take care
to avoid or minimise environmental damages.
Water quantity and water quality issues are uniquely linked.
Poor water quality affects the availability of fresh water for
different uses. Contamination of surface water bodies and
groundwater aquifers by agricultural pollutants, industrial
discharge, domestic pollution, and non-point source urban
runoff exacerbate water quality problems and endanger both
natural ecosystem integrity and public health. Other
environmental problems include: excessive soil erosion and
sedimentation, water logging and salinisation of agricultural
land, groundwater depletion, watershed degradation and
deforestation; reduction of biodiversity, wetland loss.
saltwater intrusion, and coastal zone habitat loss.
Henceforth, all agencies and departments entrusted with water
resource management responsibilities (regulation, planning,
construction, operation, and maintenance) will have to enhance
environmental amenities and ensure that environmental
resources are protected and restored in executing their tasks.
Environmental needs and objectives will be treated equally
with the resources management needs. It is, therefore, the
policy of the government at all water management agencies and
related natural resources departments will:
a. Give full consideration to environmental protection,
restoration and enhancement measures consistent with the
National Environmental Management Action Plan (NRMAPI and the
National Water Management Plan (NWMP).
b. Adhere to a formal environmental impact assessment (EIA)
process, as set out in EIA guidelines and manuals for water
sector projects, in each water resources development project
or rehabilitation programme of size and scope specified by the
Government from time to time.
c. Ensure adequate upland flow in water channels to preserve
ecosystem threatened by intrusion of salinity from the sea.
d. Protect against degradation and resuscitate natural
water-bodies such as lakes, ponds, beels. khals, tanks, etc.
affected by man-made interventions or other causes.
e. Completely stop the filling of publicly-owned water bodies
and depressions in urban areas for preservation of the natural
aquifers and environment.
f. Take necessary
steps to remove all existing unauthorised encroachments on
rivers and watercourses and to check further encroachments that
cause obstructions to water flows and create environmental
hazards.
g. Stop unplanned
construction on riverbanks and indiscriminate clearance of
vegetation on newly accreted land.
h. Encourage massive
afforestation and tree coverage specifically in areas with
declining water table.
i. Enforce the
"polluter pay" principle in the development of regulatory guide
lines for all regulatory actions designed to protect public
health and the environment.
j. Provide education
and information to the industrial and farming communities on
self-administered pollution control mechanisms and their
individual and collective responsibilities for maintaining clean
water sources.
4.13 Water
for Preservation of Haors, Baors, and Beels
Water bodies like haors, baors, and beels are precious assets
of Bangladesh with unique regional characteristics. Apart from
their scenic beauty, they have great economical and
environmental value. Even during extremely dry seasons, when
the smaller beels turn into quagmires, the haors and the baors
retain considerable amount of water. These water bodies
account for a large share of the natural capture fisheries and
provide a habitat for a wide variety of aquatic vegetation and
birds. They also provide sanctuary to migratory birds during
winter. The haors and the beels usually connect to some
adjoining river through khals.
In the past, many beels have been drained through engineering
interventions and turned into cropland for immediate gains.
The adverse effects of such interventions have been
deleterious to the environment. They have destroyed the fish
and aquatic vegetables that thrive in these wetlands and are
important in the diet of the rural poor. They have also
blocked the flow of wastes, discharged from the flood plains
and domestic sources, which naturally move out of the beels
through the khals into the river's drainage system. Only
submersible dikes have provided tangible benefits in certain
haor areas by enabling cultivation of high yielding variety
boro rice, The Government believes that in order to assist the
natural processes of groundwater recharge, maintenance of
.aquatic life and ecological balance, disposal of wastes
through the dynamic river system, and for turning the huge
water bodies into recreational areas, their planned
development is essential.
It is, therefore, the policy of the Government that:
a. Natural water bodies such as beels, haors, and baors will
be preserved for maintaining the aquatic environment and
facilitating drainage.
b.Only those water related projects will be taken up for
execution that will not interface with the aquatic
characteristics of those water bodies.
c. Haors that naturally dry up during the winter will be
developed for dry season agriculture
d. Take up integrated projects in those water bodies for
increasing fish production.
e. Natural water bodies will be developed, where possible, for
recreational use in support of tourism.
4.14
Economic and Financial Management
Changes are required in the system of prices and other
economic incentives affecting water demand and supply in
Bangladesh. Unless the users pay a price for water, there will
be a tendency to misuse and deplete it under scarcity
conditions. Desirable practices such as conjunctive use,
water-saving agricultural and industrial technologies, water
harvesting, water transfers, and water recycling, both within
and between sectors, will emerge only when users perceive the
scarcity value of water.
A
system of cost recovery, pricing, and economic
incentives/disincentives is necessary to balance the supply
and demand of water. Cost recovery of services such as flood
control, drainage, irrigation, and wastewater treatment has
not been considered adequately. Failure to recover O&M cost
leads to decline of service quality and deterioration of the
system. This, in turn, makes the consumers less willing to pay
for the deteriorating services. An important principle, for
the long-term, in this regard is that public service agencies
should be converted into financially autonomous entities, with
effective authority to charge and collect fees. The
participation of users in managing and maintaining water
facilities and operations is an important element of financial
accountabilitv. It is, therefore, the policy of the Government
that:
a.Water will be considered an economic resource and priced to
convey its scarcity value to all users and provide motivation
for its conservation. For the foreseeable future, however,
cost recovery for flood control and drainage (FCD) projects is
not envisaged in this policy. In case of flood control,
drainage, and irrigation (FCDI) projects water rates will be
charged for O&M as per Government rules.
b.Relevant public water supply agencies will be gradually
given authority to charge for their services.
c.Recovery of O&M cost will, as far as possible, be made
through private collection means such as leasing and other
financial options. Beneficiaries and other target groups will
be given preference for such contracts.
d.The pricing structure will match the goals and needs of the
water provider and the population served. Water rates will be
lower for basic consumption, increasing with commercial and
industrial use. The rates for surface and groundwater will
reflect, to the extent possible, their actual cost of
delivery.
e.Water charges realised from beneficiaries for O&M in a
project for the provision of services within that project.
f.Effective
beneficiary participation and commitment to pay for O&M will be
realised at the project identification and planning stages by
respective public agencies.
g.
Appropriate financial incentives will be introduced for water
re-use and conservation, responsible use of groundwater, and for
preventing over exploitation and Pollution.
4.15
Research and Information Management
Informing policy makers of the choice of appropriate technology
to meet policy goals and make them aware of their significance
and impact is an essential requirement of a dynamic water
management policy. It is important to reach a common
understanding between specialists, planners, politicians and the
general public about the changing environment and the optimal
ways and means of achieving the national water management goals.
As management decisions become increasingly complex and
information sensitive, the demand for supporting research and
information management increases.
It is the policy of the Government in this regard to:
a. Develop a central database and management information
system (MIS) consolidating information from various data
collection and research agencies on the existing hydrological
systems, supply and use of national water resources, water
quality, and the eco-system.
b. Restructure and strengthen, where appropriate, water
resource and agriculture research institutions to undertake
systematic research and analysis of water and land management
issues and problems arising both nationally and
internationally.
c. Investigate thoroughly important flood control and
management issues, such as of coastal polders, for guiding
future policy on structural interventions.
d. Investigate important sociological issues, such as the
phenomenon of interference with water structures (e.g. public
cuts), and the motives and conflicting interests behind them,
to assist the process of building public support and
acceptance of government water management programmes.
e. Strengthen and promote the public and private research
organisations and universities to:
i. Develop and disseminate appropriate ground water and
surface water.
ii. Develop and promote water management techniques to prevent
wastage and generate efficiency of water and energy use.
iii. Produce skilled professionals for water management.
4.16 Stake
holder Participation
Decisions regarding water resources management can affect
nearly every sector of the economy and the public as a whole,
and stake holder participation should be established in a form
that elicits direct input from people at all levels of
engagement. Stake holder involvement should be an integral
part of water resources management, at all stages of the
project cycle. Towards that objective there should be a
complete reorientation of the institutions for increasing the
role of stake holders and the civil society in decision making
and implementation of water projects. The Government has to be
at the core of the effort to help build the local institutions
and to impart a precise awareness of the issues and an
unambiguous understanding of their role in water management.
Similarly, Government must lead the effort to ensure greater
participation of women in this endeavour.
In order to ensure that all stake holders actively and
fruitfully participate in watch management decision making at
all stages, it is the policy of the Government that:
a. The "Guidelines for People's Participation (GPP) in Water
Development Projects" be adhered to as part of project
planning by all institutions and agencies involved in public
sector management of water resources.
b. Guidelines for formation of water user groups (WUG) and
similar community organisations will be formulated.
c. Generally 25 percent of the earthwork of any public water
project will be offered to specific target groups or
beneficiaries.
d. All opportunities arc explored and efforts undertaken to
ensure that the landless and other disadvantaged group are
directly involved in participatory management of local water
resources.
e. New projects proposed by a community or local institution
will be considered for implementation on a priority basis only
when the beneficiaries have mobilised a certain percentage of
the total cost as their contribution to the project.
The governance and management of the national water resources
require a great deal of coordination of existing institutions
and in some cases reform and creation of new community based
institutions. Water resources management extends across many
water using sectors as well as political jurisdictions and
geographically and hydrologically diverse areas. Properly
functioning institutions are essential for effective
implementation and administration of the country is water and
related environmental resource management policies and
directives.
The Government will restructure and strengthen, where
appropriate, the existing institutions to ensure that the
agenda for reform and the action plan is implemented
efficiently. Two important principles will govern
institutional restructuring. Firstly, there should be
separation of policy, planning, and regulatory functions from
implementation and operational functions at each level of
government. Secondly, each institution must he held
accountable for financial and operational performance.
It is the policy of the Government that:
a. The Government will formulate a framework for institutional
reform, to guide all water sector related activities. It will
periodically review the mandates of all water sector
institutions and redefine their respective roles, as
necessary, to ensure efficient and effective institutions
commensurate with changing needs and priorities.
b. The National Water Resources Council (NWRC) will coordinate
all water resources management activities in the country, and
particularly:
i. Formulate policy on different aspects of water resource
management.
ii. Provide directions for optimal development and utilisation
of the national water resources.
iii. Oversee the preparation and implementation of the
National Water Management Plan.
iv. Provide directions on the development of efficient
institutions for managing the water resources.
v. Provide policy policy directives for appropriate
coordination among different water sector agencies.
vi. Look after any
other water resource management matter that may require us
attention.
c. The Executive Committee of the National Water Resources
Council (ECNWRC) will have the following responsibilities:
i. It will provide directives on all matters relating to the
planning, management, and coordination of water resources
across all sectors, as may be required by the NWRC.
ii. It will guide water management institutions at the
national, regional, and local levels in the formulation and
implementation of policies and plans for improved water
management and investment.
iii. It will apprise and advise the National Water Resource
Council periodically on matters of water resource management.
d
required from time to time, by the NWRC.
e. WARPO will be the exclusive government institution for
macro level water resource planning. It will also serve as the
Executive Secretariat of the ECNWRC with the following
principal responsibilities:
i. Providing administrative, technical, and legal support to
the ECNWRC.
ii. Advising the ECNWRC on policy, planning, and regulatory
matters of water resources and related land and environmental
management.
iii. Preparing and periodically updating the National Water
Management Plan for approval of the NWRC.
iv. Setting up and updating the National Water Resource
Database (NWRD) and Information Management System.
v. Acting as a "clearing house" for all water sector projects
identified different agencies and reporting to the ECNWRC on
their conformity to the NWMP.
vi. Undertaking any special study, as may be required by the
ECNWRC, for fulfilling the objectives and programmes envisaged
in the National Water Policy and the Bangladesh Water and
Flood Management Strategy.
vii. Performing any other function as may be assigned to it
from time to time by the Government.
e. The Government will lead the effort towards developing
grass root institutions, in conjunction with the civil
society, for managing water resources at community levels.
f. Public water projects wilt include a training component for
transfer of knowledge and technology to the users that will be
monitored by the executing agency at every stage of the
project work.
Setting the appropriate legislative framework is fundamental
to effective implementation of the water policy. The existing
legislation related to any form of water management in
Bangladesh requires supplementing in a number of key areas.
This policy will be given effect through a National Water Code
encoding specific provisions of the water policy to facilitate
its implementation.
The policy of the Government in this regard is:
a. To periodically review the provisions of the body of laws
and regulations that have an impact on water resource
management and to recommend changes and amendments in them for
efficient coordination of the work of different water-related
sub sectors.
b. To enact a National Water Code revising and consolidating
the laws governing ownership development, appropriation,
utilisation, conservation, and protection of water resources.
Source:
National Water Policy
Published by
Ministry of Water Resources
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