Tk 1,033 crore proposed for environment, forest

The government has allocated Taka 1,033 crore for the Ministry of Environment and Forest in the proposed budget for the fiscal (FY) 2016-2017. 

The allocation is Taka 49 crore higher than the revised budget of the previous FY 2015-16, which was Taka 984 crore. 

Announcing the budget proposals, at the Jatiya sangsad, Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith said, "I propose to allocate Tk. 618 crore in the non development and Taka 415 crore in development budgets for the ministry of environment and forest for FY2016-2017." 

The minister said "We are actively pursuing the issues of control of environmental pollution, afforestation and preservation of biodiversity. This year, we have finalized the draft of 'National Environmental Policy 2016'. 

On the other hand, he said, implementation of programmes to mitigate climate change risks under 'Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan' has kicked off. We have introduced modern technology in 4,000 brick fields to reduce air pollution. 

The finance minister said that the Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP) have been installed in more than 1,000 industries while installation of ETP in another 500 industries is in progress. Additionally, relocation of all leather industries to Savar after installing central ETP is underway. 

At the same time, he said, construction of a park for pharmaceutical industries with central ETP facility in Munshigonj is in progress.

Referring to Conservation of Bio-diversity, the finance minister said, a project is being implemented within the framework of regional cooperation between Bangladesh and neighboring India, Nepal and Bhutan to tackle poaching and wildlife smuggling. Besides, we have taken a development project for ecosystem-based adaptation of Barind and Hakaluki haor areas, he further said.

He said "we have drafted the Bangladesh Bio-diversity Act to ensure conservation of bio-diversity. It is expected to be finalized by next year". In the wake of worldwide climate change, the minister said, we have adopted a forest management strategy which is both production and preservation-oriented.

"We also have plans to build green belts of 500km through afforestation programmes in the newly surfaced chars (shoals) by next five years. At the same time, we plan to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets by the inclusion of five percent of land and seven percent of coastal and marine areas in protected areas," Muhith said.

Source: BSS.