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Directorate of Environment Past, Present and Future

Risalat Ahmed Director General, Directorate ol Environment
The Directorate of Environment Is a small and comparatively new Government Department. The concept of containing environment pollution and degradation, environment conservation and environment development is still less known In Bangladesh. However, In line with the world at large, hopefully the concern for containing environment pollution, environment conservation and developed environment management is spreading fast in Bangladesh. Following the promulgation of "Water Pollution Control" Ordinance tn Bangladesh In 1973, a project styled as "Water Pollution Project" was launched under the Public Health Engineering Department and through It began the first water pollution control programme in the country. The manpower strength of the project was 27 personnel and its activity was confined to only deciding the quality of water and taking limited legal action against the polluter of water.
Serious consideration was paid in 1977 to the Impact and pollution effect of increasing industrialisation, transport, population of the country as well as outside Bangladesh activities on the different constituents of environment and in the same year, environment pollution control ordinance was promulgated in the name and style "Environment Pollution Control Ordinance No 13, 1977" annulling the "Water Pollution Control Ordinance." Through this ordinance, an environment pollution control board and air environment pollution control cell were constituted in the country for the first time.
Environment Pollution Control Board was responsible for policy formulation and advising on its implementation toward controlling, containing and diminishing the environment pollution. Environment Pollution Control Cell used to discharge the administrative responsibilities in implementing the advice on pollution control of the Environment Pollution Control Board. Thts Cel] was run under a Director and its manpower strength was 26 personnel. For environment pollution control under this cell, a project styled "Environment Pollution Control Project" was launched simultaneously also In 1977 and the project was approved in 1978. Its manpower strength was 1 18.
Environment Pollution Control Cell was operative up to 1977 and the project named "Environment Pollution Control Project" from 1978 to 1985 under the Development Budget.
The Environment Pollution Control Cell and the Project were-transferred to non-development t.c. Revenue Budget In 1982 and 1985 respectively, and on recommendation of Administrative Reorganisation Committee the two were Integrated into one "Directorate of Environment Pollution Control" and with a manpower strength of 70 was given the responsibility to run the affair of pollution control.
With the formation of a new Ministry styled 'Ministry of Environment and Forest" the name of the "Directorate ol Environment Pollution Con trol" was changed Into "Directorate of Environment" and Its sphere of activity was raised from pollution control to overall environment man agement. Almost at the same time. 98 new posts were ap proved to increase Its man power strength, although, np polntmcnt ruts yet to be ap proved, no other appointments except a few officers on deputation, have been made.
The Directorate has five offices including the head office, the other four being Zonal Divisional offices at Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Bogra. Each zonal office has manpower strength of 11 (four officers and seven employees). Total manpower strength In regular posts at the head office at present is 28 and alongside, there are about 30 officers employees In different posts under project. There is a laboratory with each Divisional Office, where many different parametres of water and liquid wastes arc examined.
Despite its limited man-
power. budget and legal authority. the Directorate has already achieved noteworthy successes. The Directorate has been able to create mass awareness at different stages of necessity for environment conservation. The Directorate has for the past several years been examining the country's major rivers and their waters and has been able to set up a data bank. The Directorate has also been regularly examining the quality of drinking water and the waler used al different establishments. With the coop-eratlon of Police Adml-•nisiration, the Directorate has long been running the programme to control the black fume and loud horn of vehicles and has been able to create mass awareness against such environment pollution.
In the light of the recommendation of the observation report of the Directorate on burning of wood in brick kilns and its environmental damage, a ban on burning of wood in brick kilns has already been Imposed. As a result of the Directorate's active persuasion, the government has banned the collection, processing and export of the natural inseeli-
cidc frog with effect from 30 September, 1989 till further order On recommendation of the Directorate the govern mi nt has Imposed ban on Im port of waste from abroad.
The Directorate has prepared the draft on much needed National Environmental Quality Standards and that has been approved by the specialists Committee const! tulcd by the government. The Directorate, with the help of Government s Plant Protection Department, has been able to implement scientific partial restriction on the use of insecticide in the country. On the basis of the Directorate's observation and recommendation. registration of eight harmful insecticides has so far been cancelled and cancellation of some more specially harmful insecticides is under consideration. To make the shipbreaking industry environment oriented, the government has marked specific areas for the industry only in Chittagong and Khulna, tn the light of the Directorate's recommendations.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Environment has expanded its fields of activity, which is hoped to be extended further in future. Presently running programmes of the Directorate Include :
Surveying mills and factories; locating the polluting mills and factories and moti-v*ting/compelling the establishments concerned to take measures to control pollution; surveying vehicles with the help of Police Administration and taking action against vehicles exhausting black fume and using loud horn;
Receiving complaints on environment pollution and settling it through investigation.
Regular monitoring tn view of proper Implementation of the Government order regarding prescribed location of ship breaking industry In Chittagong and Khulna.
Collecting sample from prescribed site, analysis and reporting for the international organisation JAMES.
Holding of Divisional Environmental Consultative Committee meeting on pre-
scribed frequency.
Collecting sample of drinking water and examining its bacteriological standard on regular basis. Regular collection of sample from different sample collection sites of vari ous rivers and its thorough analysis — to decide the standard of river water.
Collection of underground water sample from prescribed •Litton* and anafyaia.
Creating mass awareness on environment; publication and distribution of handbills and booklets etc.
Necessary Investigation and observation on the basis of ap-CHcstion of mills/fsctorles to e established and clearance thereof.
Analysing sample of wa-ter/ltquld waste brought be different Individuals or establishments.
Filing suits as part of controlling steps against continu ously polluting establishments.
Discharging responsibilities laid on including exchange of Information regarding environment as focal point In Bangladesh of UNEP, SACEP.
ESCAP, 1RPTC etc International and regional organisations.
Prodding registration for insecticide and coordinating with Plant Protection Department on its restricted use.
Observation of air qualliy. EIA scrutiny and approval and intimation and advise for EIA; Consultation with FPCO on environment acceptability of Flood Action Plan, etc.
With gradual increase in environment awareness and need for environment conservation in the country ft has become necessary to further strengthen the environment management programme. Although it is not practicable for the Directorate of Environment alone Io dis-
charge the greater responsibility. but the Directorate has to play the leading role In that. Of late Environment policy and relevant practical programme have been approved and new Environment Act is awaiting approval. New appointment rule Is at the final stage of approval and soon ft fs approved, increase in the manpower strength would be possible. To modernise the laboratories and to test air and sound side by side with water and liquid waste, the laboratories of the Directorate are being replete with such testing equipment.
Number of transports of the Directorate has been increased to ease movement on various government duties, project inspection, complaint Investiga-
tion, sample collection etc. The drawing for the Directorate'* own building on its own plot at Agargnon has already been made ready. The Directorate i* working towards making Its sphere of activities definite, well-laid and effective and toward* this end the Directorate is Increasing it* coordination and cooperation with other government and private bodies in discharging Its various role*.
People's participation is a must for appropriate environment management and the overall development of the country's environment is possible only through involvement of the people. The Directorate of Environment Is aware of the fact and it is hoped, the re-ficctlon will be there In Its future activities.