The Daily Star November 06, 2002 

      Plan to integrate donor agenciesto resolve arsenic problem



      STAFF CORRESPONDENT


      The Local Government Ministry is preparing a national plan to integrate 
      all donor agencies working for mitigation of arsenic contamination for 
      well-coordinated efforts in this regard.
      LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan disclosed this when a 
      6-member delegation of the World Bank called on him at his secretariat 
      office yesterday.
      He said currently a number of organisations and donor agencies including 
      DANIDA, UNDP and WB, are working separately for mitigation of the arsenic 
      problem in the country but those isolated efforts are not bringing 
      satisfactory results.
      As the arsenic contamination is detected in the ground water of almost all 
      parts of the country, a coordinated effort is a must for resolving the 
      problem urgently, he added.
      Later, talking to reporters the LGRD minister said usually the donor 
      agencies place proposal for any project. But this time the government is 
      preparing a national plan to involve all the donor agencies to work 
      together under one project for immediate mitigation of the arsenic 
problem.
      He said the WB and other donor agencies have appreciated the initiative of 
      the government and agreed to work under the plan because all ongoing 
      projects are aimed to mitigate arsenic.
      The LGRD minister said he had asked the WB delegation to extend all- out 
      supports for arsenic mitigation programmes after preparing the national 
      plan. 
      He said the government is eager to implement its various national 
      development programmes under a master plan.
      During the meeting, the delegation also discussed construction of eastern 
      bypass, planned urbanisation and other issues of common concern.
      Members of the WB delegation included Country Director F Temple, Director 
      for South Asian Transport Affairs Vincent Guarn, Guang Chen, Falio Gally, 
      Moniruzzaman Kazi and Masidul Mannan.