Sunday, July 26, 2009

Tipai Issue: Muzaffer stresses working together




Staff Correspondent, Sylhet


India wants to produce hydroelectricity instead of coal-based power by constructing Tipaimukh dam to get rid of carbon pollution, said President of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon Prof Muzaffer Ahmad.

Muzaffer, also Trustee Board member of Transparency International Bangladesh, said India had studied what would happen to its portion if the dam was constructed but did not think what would happen to the people of Bangladesh.


“We should now work together,” he said, adding that Kaptai and Farakka barrages had caused environmental and biological disaster in Bangladesh. Monga is the result of the construction of Farakka Barrage.

If Tipaimukh dam is constructed Monipuri indigenous people of India will also be affected, he said, adding: "We will have to contact them. We need to convince them to raise their voices against the dam."

Muzaffer said indigenous people have always been vocal against Kaptai and Farakka dams.

Muzaffer was delivering his speech as the chief discussant at a seminar on "Impact of Tipaimukh dam construction: What we should do to prevent imminent disaster" at a restaurant in Sylhet yesterday morning.

Sylhet Paribesh Andolon and Rotary Club of Sylhet, Sunshine, jointly organised the seminar.

Muzaffer said the Tipaimukh dam would inundate low-lying areas like Sylhet and the agricultural system there would be in jeopardy.

He said during the construction of Farakka dam in the 60s people could not protest but now they are suffering from its consequences.

Muzaffer urged the elected lawmakers to inform the ministries concerned about the harmful effects of the dam.

If they discuss the issue in the House the government might take an environment-friendly decision, he added.

Sadruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, AK Kim, Enamul Quddus Chowdhury, Bahauddin Zakaria, Debananda Bhattacharya, Emadullah Shahidul Islam, Mahbub Sobhani and ATM Kamal also spoke.


Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=98686


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