2,000 acres of forest land recovered to be used for projects, says Rizwana on govt completing six months

The interim government is working sincerely to protect the environment and biodiversity, said Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.

In an interview with BSS on the completion of six months of the interim government, she said more than 2,000 acres of forest land have been recovered which would be utilized for various public projects.

Regular campaigns are being conducted to free illegal encroachment of forest land in different parts of the country including Gazipur and Tangail, she said.

An action plan is being taken for forest-dependent communities of Madhupur Shalban, she said, adding that the government identified the expectations of the people in the six months. 

"Now the task is to work on macro-issues instead of micro-issues," she said.

About the activities and future plans of the environment ministry, Rizwana said various action plans have been taken up to curb air pollution.

It is not possible to prevent air pollution by sprinkling water on the roads, she added.

"We have also started working on dust control in the public interest and protecting the environment," she added.

She also said the North City Corporation and the South City Corporation have already conducted a survey to find out dilapidated city roads and open spaces.

The concerned ministries will plant trees in the open places and take steps for maintenance of the damaged roads by October next, she added.

The adviser also said the government has a plan to involve the local community for plantation on road dividers and roadside areas to protect the environment and control air pollution.

Noting that it is not possible to close brick kilns across the country, she said action would be taken against the illegal brick kilns and excessive emission.

The adviser said it has been possible to largely stop the use of polythene shopping bags from big malls and shopping centers.

Awareness campaigns and enforcement of law against the production, transportation and use of polythene shopping bags are continuing, she added.

On the issue of Saint Martin's Island, she said many decisions have been made at different times which have not been implemented but this time, the government has implemented it despite many challenges.

She said the government is working relentlessly to protect the country's lone coral island along with its biodiversity.

Rizwana, also the adviser of the water resources, said the government is working to restore the Buriganga River and bring it back to its previous state. 

"There is an additional challenge for us centering the Buriganga. There are many heavy metals in its water. There is a huge amount of polythene at its bottom. It will take time to remove all these and bring the Buriganga River back to its former state," she added.

There is no waste management system in the Buriganga River and therefore, the government has taken various initiatives to remove the garbage from the bottom of this river, she said.

Mentioning that GPS technology has been used to identify pollution points of rivers and canals, Rizwana said, "We will start working with the concerned parties to address the industrial pollution.

She said the government has already launched initiatives to protect and restore Dhaka's canals under a detailed action plan.

"We have taken plans from the deputy commissioners of all districts to rescue the occupied and polluted rivers across the country," she said, adding that the government will work on the issue on priority basis. 

The adviser said initiatives have been taken to solve the long-standing water-logging problem of Bhabadah in Jashore.  A long-term plan will be made to resolve this problem, Rizwana mentioned.