The Daily Star  February 18, 2004  

                        5th Int'l Arsenic Confce ends
                        Ensure participation of locals to implement mitigation plans
                        Staff Correspondent

                        The 5th International Arsenic Conference ended in the 
                        city yesterday with a call for greater participation of 
                        local communities and local government institutions in 
                        implementing the arsenic mitigation plans. 
                        The conference also called upon all stakeholders to 
                        comply with the proposed National Arsenic Mitigation 
                        Policy and Implementation Plan in regard to water 
                        resources management.
                        Speakers at the concluding session said those who suffer 
                        from arsenic contamination do not have the sense of 
                        ownership on choices of mitigation. 
                        "We have ignored their voices despite repeated calls for 
                        community level participation. We cannot solve such 
                        gigantic problem without them and it is time we also 
                        take them on board for policy formulation," said one of 
                        the participants from an NGO.
                        Pointing his fingers at the disjointed efforts, Planning 
                        Commission Member Badiur Rahman said, "The problem is 
                        recognised by all SAARC countries but there is a missing 
                        link. As the grassroots people cannot participate in 
                        such conferences, the works of NGOs, development 
                        partners and UN agencies must be coordinated."
                        The speakers said all future mitigation activities 
                        regarding arsenic contamination should involve the 
                        private sector.
                        They urged the government to undertake more scientific 
                        scrutiny before validating any of the chemical 
                        technologies for the purpose of removing arsenic from 
                        contaminated water. 
                        The speakers also urged all to give priority to 
                        exploitation of perennial sources of surface water.
                        They recommended that safety and sustainability of the 
                        deep aquifers must be ensured while using ground water. 
                        The speakers also called upon the scientists to measure 
                        the impact of arsenic contamination in food chain and 
                        food production.
                        Chief Executive of Nijera Kori Khushi Kabir, Country 
                        Representative of Unicef Morten Giersing, Country 
                        Director of the World Bank Christine Wallich, Editor of 
                        The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam, Chairman of Dhaka Community 
                        Hospital Trust Prof Quazi Quamruzzaman and Coordinator 
                        Prof Mahmudur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
                        Water experts, medical professionals, skin specialists, 
                        chemists, geologists and other scientists from home and 
                        abroad gathered at the conference on 'Developing 
                        Country's Perspective on Health, Water and Environmental 
                        Issues.' 
                        Jadavpur University of West Bengal, India and Dhaka 
                        Community Hospital jointly organised the conference.