Groundwater level falling drastically in Barind tract

On the other hand, random application of harmful insecticides in crop fields of the region is also posing a serious threat to public health.

Indiscriminate lifting of groundwater and use of pesticides in crop fields have increased alarmingly, especially during the past 20 years.

Speakers at a seminar on the Water Crisis in Barind Tract and Hazardous Pesticide Impacts on Environment and Public Health expressed their grave concern about the situation.

Held at the Deans' Complex of Rajshahi University on Sunday, the seminar focused on the adverse impacts of indiscriminate extraction of groundwater and unabated use of pesticides on the environment as well as public health.

Many areas of the Barind region are now facing an acute scarcity of water due to unplanned and indiscriminate extraction of groundwater for the agricultural purposes, the speakers mentioned.

They noted that crop diversification and cultivation and planting of crops like wheat, maize, pulses, all-season mangoes and other fruits need to curb the degrading environmental situation of the region.

The speakers also called for stopping use of harmful and date-expired chemical pesticides and cancellation of import of all those pesticides immediately to save human lives, animals, birds and fish from being poisoned and getting affected by their adverse impacts.

They stressed that the organic pesticides should be used in the fields instead of chemical pesticides.

Non-government organisations BARCIC, Diakoniam Green Coalition and Misereor jointly organised the event.

BARCIC is working to assess the impacts of use of insecticides on the environment and public health through research activities in four agricultural regions, including Barind, haor areas, river and Char areas of Manikganj and seashore region of Satkhira.

Avijit Roy, associate professor of the Department of Anthropology, presented the keynote paper on the historical assumption of water crisis in the Barind region.

Elaborately describing the historical aspects of the Barind region, he said once filled with water reservoirs, forests and greeneries, the region has now turned into a dry and arid area due to deforestation and use of subterranean water for irrigation and other purposes.

Dr Bidhan Chnadra Das, vice-chancellor of North Bengal International University, attended the seminar as the chief speaker, with president of Rajshahi Green Coalition, Mahbub Siddiqui, also a river and environment researcher, in the chair.

Among others, the seminar was addressed, by BARCIC Coordinator Shahidul Islam, Maya Mardi and Kalpana Rani Misri.