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Salinity threatens Sundarbans

By Inam Ahmed
The mangrove forest of the Sundarbans la dying and with 11 the Royal Bengal Tiger, Hie pride of the country is facing extinction.
Scientists and experts say that the Increase In salinity in rivers and soil resulting from the withdrawal of the Ganges waters at Farakka Is causing the disaster.
The eastern part of the Sundarbans where ihe back mangrove species like Sundart. Bain and Amur trees are being replaced by basic mangroves like G«ran and Kakra is Ihe worst hlL The changing phenomenon is best manifested by the gradual dying of the Sundari trees.
About 17 per cent of the •Sundari trees have already fallen in this Top. dying process' that scientists attribute
lo the rise In salinity.
The change of mangroves will destroy the habitat of the deer and other animals tigers prey on, scientists said adding that the lack of food will lead to a decrease in the liger population. The handful of ligers that will fight for life will turn Into man-eaters, they said.
On the other Impacts on wildlife, experts say that l lie presence of sharks in the rivers will Increase with the increase tn salinity.
The numbers of reptiles will also increase in the area as the new environment will be suitable to them.
The highest tolerance level of salinity for drinking waler Is 500 micro mhos and 2000 mi cro mhos per centimeter for agriculture. But figures show that with the increasing with-
drawal of water al Farakka. the salinity level has far crossed the limit.
During 1978 and 1982 when the first agreement on water sharing was enacted, die minimum discharge of the Ganges at I lardlngc Bridge was between 30.000 and 45,000 cusecs. At the time, the maximum salinity at Khulna was between 1300 and 14.000 micro mhos per centimeter. Figures show that the salinity has been increasing since then, during 1989 and 1992 when there was no agreement on the Farakka. the salinity level reached Its peak.In 1989. it was a highest of 28.000 micro mhos and 25.000 micro mhos in 1991.
The Minister for Environment, Abdullah Al-Noman while talking to this
correspondent said the only solution to tlie salinity problem lies with the Increased (low of water at Farakka. He said that unless the flow was increased, the problem would intensify further.
The saltnliy problem has not only hit the Sundarbans but also spread to other parts of Khulna. In the last ten years, the salinity belt has moved about 100 miles upward threatening 1>k- industries and the availability of drinking waler in ihe southern region.
The Khulna Newsprint Mills and the Goalpara Power Plant already have lo import fresh water lo run their Units from outside.
Scientists project that the Jessore and Khilslla region will also fall prey to I he sultnlt v
within tile next 50 year* and the wlxik- region will become unsuitable for industry and lutbltalion.
Khasru Chowdhury, an environmentalist working for the Forest Department In the Sundarbun* says tliat the meagre flow of fresh water has caused a fall In tlie waler level In tlic rivers In the forest. As a result, the trees that used to be washed al least twice a day arc not getting the needed water.
Experts view that the clianglng ecology will lead to a । licavy blow to economic activities in the region.
As back mangroves will de crease, the extraction of wood will also come down. The growth of the trees will be stunted.
Khasru Chowdhury sakl that tlie increase In salinity ha* already affected fishing In the rivers as the fishing season has been squeezed from the previous May-February period to the present May-December period. The shrimp* and other fish are not finding the river* In the Sundarbans suitable to lay eggs and therefore, small catches have been reported by the fishermen.
Prof Al nun Nlshat of Water Management Department of the Bangladesh University of Engineering'and Technology (HUET) Mid that the salinity level goes very high during the dry season and come* down when the monsoon start*.
However, he pointed out tliat the re*idual effect of the dry season Is ultimately leading to an overall rise In the salinity level. According to Prof Nlshat. the only solution to the pmb lem He* In making a flow of at least 10.000 cusec* of water through the Goral rWer
However, in the last 20 year*, the flow through the Coral virtually went down to zero level In a number of Instance*/ Al present the flow during the dry season Is not over 150 eusec*. a level thought to be disastrous by the environmentalist*.