Govt yet to form expert panel for Sundarban damage study

Politicians, environmentalists and rights activists on Monday decried the government for not forming an expert panel comprising national and international experts to study the ecological damages being caused to the Sundarbans due to the oil spill in the river Shela.An oil tanker transporting over 350,000 litres of furnace oil sank in the river Shela on Dec 9 after being hit by another vessel, spilling oil in the river.An 18-memebr UN team reached Mongla on Monday to visit the oil affected areas.
Addressing a rally, Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the National Committee to protect Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources, Power and Ports urged people to get united to raise their voice against such manmade disasters.He lamented that the government was yet to form any expert panel. At present there is no doctor and no political parties to address the sufferings of the local people in the Sunderbans area.

The National Committee to protect Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources, Power and Ports organised the rally in front of National Press Club demanding compensation for the local people, punishment of the accused and stopping movement of ships in Sunderbans region.Anu Muhammad said that till January 9 they would observe and monitor the activities of the government and if the government would not fulfill their demand they would declare strong agitation programmes including long march.
The National Committee convener Sheikh Md Shahidullah, Workers Party politburo member Nurul Hasan, Ganasangahati Andolon chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, Garments Workers Unity Forum president Moshrefa Mishu, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal central leader Bazlur Rashid, among others, were present at the rally.Bangladesh Poribesh Andalan also organised a roundtable discussion at CIRDAP Auditorium titled ‘Sunderbans on the way of destruction : Ways to save the forest’.

Addressing the meeting, columnist Syed Abul Maksud demanded formulation of a separate autonomous authority comprised of national and international experts to save Sunderbans as Department of Forest would not be able to save the mangrove forest.He said that the government immediately needed to stop all ongoing projects like Rampal power plant, Orion power project and construction of silos in the Sundarbans area.Politician Ruhin Hossain Prince said that the concerned authorities were yet to take any initiative to carry out the Prime Minister’s order for reopening of the Ghashiakhali Channel, once used as an India-Bangladesh water protocol route and maritime communication route for the country’s southern region.BAPA secretary general Md Abdul Matin said that Sunderbans was like a mother as it saved people from natural disasters like Sidre, Aila and Nargis. Hence, concerned authorities needed to take effective measures to save the world’s largest mangrove forest.Environmental scientist Atiq Rahman, Bapa vice-president M Firoze Ahmed, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association chief Syeda Rizwana Hasan, artist Hasan Masud also spoke at the discussion meeting.

Courtesy: http://newagebd.net/79078/govt-yet-to-form-expert-panel-for-sundarban-damage-study/#sthash.Zi3LJsEw.dpbs