‘Plan for green buildings’ to reduce air pollution

Specific plan about accommodating greeneries while constructing a building could minimize the adverse effects of deforestation due to rapid urbanisation, as well as slash air pollution level in mega-cities like Dhaka to a tolerable level.         

Stressing on the “green design” -- a method of building that minimizes the harmful effects of construction through greeneries – environmentalists have advocated for selecting local and native tree species for the Plan.    

“Buildings should have plans (i.e. structural aspects) that accommodate plants – plants that must be the native species,” said Professor Ainun Nishat, while addressing a program on Wednesday.    

The seminar ‘Impact of Air Pollution and Forest and Biodiversity in the City Plan’ was jointly organised by Aranyak Foundation, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) on the occasion of World Environment Day on Friday.

The government will plant 10 lakh trees, celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of the nation’s founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“This celebration could prioritise planting local varieties,” Professor Ainun Nishat suggested.  

Noted urban planner Dr Adil Mohammed Khan, in his keynote, emphasised on the proper utilization of urban land. 

Elaborating on the intensity of the rampant air pollution and dwindling buffer zones around cities, he said: “There is no alternative to performance zoning, air zoning and control of land use around emission sources.”

“The cost of healthcare could be reduced by protecting the environment. Polluters must be dealt with and the penalties for pollution should be tougher,” said the urban planner. 

Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury and Additional Secretary to the same ministry SM Manjurul Hannan Khan spoke, among others, at the programme.