Authorities of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has designed a plan for proper utilisation of surface natural water excavating about 53 abandoned water bodies across the city with a view reducing water crisis.
The plan has been taken specially to retain surface water resources in order to reduce the ongoing water crisis using the natural water bodies as well as to mitigate climate change impact, said Ashraful Haque, chief engineer of the RCC.
For the purpose, the city corporation has fixed a fund of Tk206.24-crore under a project titled “Natural Water Bodies Conservation and Development in Rajshahi City”, Haque said.
Engineer Ashraful Haque also informed that there were a total of 29 natural water bodies in the metropolis till 2002, but the number has been declined to 393 at present as influential quarters have filled many water bodies.
The RCC authorities have also planned to recover the water bodies which was allegedly filled up and grabbed by influential quarters, Ashraful added.
Ashraful Haque told the Dhaka Tribune that a total at least 98 acres of land of water bodies of Rajshahi city will be acquired for the purpose.
Due to abnormal decline of surface natural water, the dependency on groundwater has increased for ensuring the supply of water to the city dwellers, causing unusual lowering of groundwater level for the last couple of years in the Barendra area of Rajshahi.
The problem becomes worse mostly during the dry season and causes acute water crisis for household chores and for agriculture in the area.
Asharful said: “If the project is successfully implemented, the drinking water crisis will be no more as well as agriculture will be flourished in the area, including fish production will be enhanced together with protection of the endangered fish species from further extinction.
