The Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has set an ambitious target for the textile sector to reach US$50 billion exports by 2021. Similarly, the leather sector expects that relocation of tanneries to the Savar Industrial Estate could boost their export revenues from $1.0 billion to $5.0 billion in the next five years. All these targets are achievable if policies are favourable to address structural deficiencies so that efficient use of resources is ensured. Development of export industries and increase of production, with strong impacts on environment and especially on water resources, are now the concerns. Experts have agreed that in order to maintain long-term impact on the economy and continuing operation of heavy industries in such a small land, water resources have been posing a challenge. Water resources governance needs supporting actions, among others, for maintaining health of communities in and around production areas. A recent study done by 2030 Water Resources Group (WRG) shows that if business-as-usual continues, this will result in an additional water demand of over 9,500 megaliters (one megalitre is equivalent to one million litres) per day by 2030 which is equivalent to the annual water needs of a population of approximately 75 million in Bangladesh. We would need to think about an increase in water demand with a rise in population in the country to the extent of 27 million by 2030. Environmental management and pollution in the industrial sector, especially in textile and leather sectors, would be at high risk in the absence of efficient water use. Growth of these sectors would compound the problem. Simple and low-cost measures could reduce water use by up to 20 per cent which will lower future infrastructure investment and operational expenditure by up to $7.0 billion. Keeping an eye on all these issues, setting up of central effluent treatment plants (CETPs), public-private partnerships, engaging policy-makers and commercial banks to improve Green Fund are some of the prescriptions. Some studies have also suggested for reducing or waiving duties on import of water metres and water minimisation/conservation equipment, increasing competition in water market and reducing cost of water and effluent treatment plants. In respect of finance and environmental sustainability, an effort is going on to create a task force in this respect. The task force will help take stock of all important legal acts/policies and to recommend strict enforcement for compliance as well as rationalising water use, use of ETPs, differentiated water tariffs, etc. WATER ACT 2013: What are the relevant laws, rules and regulations taking care of water issues? The main law is the Water Act 2013 which is the most important water policy in the country. It supersedes all previous policies. Other overlapping and interconnected policies for taking care of water are the Disaster Management Act 2012, the Coastal Development Strategy 2006, the Coastal Zone Policy 2005 and the Bangladesh Forests Act. There is a National Water Resources Council (headed by the Prime Minister). An executive committee is working for this council. The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Water Resources are also the other ministries to take care of these issues. The Water Resources Planning Organisation (WARPO) is under the Ministry of Water Resources. Different departments, authorities, and commission are working under the Council. Besides, the Ministry of Planning, the Ministry of Industries, the Department of Environment, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation and the National River Protection Commission are other institutions/ministries connected to water resource maintenance and governance. Policy documents are sometimes not clear about the mandate and powers of individual water institutions. There are scopes for conflicts where it is not clear which agency is responsible for implementation of particular activities. The Ministry of Industries (MOI) is almost absent in water policy discussion. In respect of penalties, the PRI studies also have shown that penalties for non-compliance are too low to be effective, and the mechanisms for pursuing penalties have opportunities for improvement. In that respect review of the penalties could be an issue. COORDINATED EFFORTS: Agriculture as the number one user of water needs stronger regulation for its efficient use. While the government support for CETP and ETP investment is important for industrial sectors, there is a serious need for coordinated efforts to address these very important issues. Mandate, scope of work and responsibilities should be clear to all. In a recent seminar, all these issues were discussed. It was observed that the WARPO lacks the status and mandate for necessary coordination among all relevant ministries. The Ministry of Industries is not included in the National Water Resources Council (NWRC). Representatives from the private sector like FBCCI, BGMEA and BKMEA are also not included. The Board of Investment (BOI) could have a role to play in this committee. Metering has been mentioned as another alternative for firms to restrict wastage of water resources. Without entrepreneurial will to take care of environment, metering will not be able to provide better results. In several developed and developing countries, they are planned for zero-wastage and moving towards a ‘Circular Economy’, meaning a zero-waste programme through recycling and preventing losses. The ‘Circular Economy’ considers the whole value chain potentials and it requires supports from all research and innovation chain, integration of science and society for the second life of a product. We need to have a legislative proposal to review re-cycling and other waste related targets. We would need to use more surface water (now 30 per cent only) instead of going for underground water (70 per cent). Presently water of only one river is treated; more rivers should come under this purview. In order to cover the whole country, area of the authority of the WASA could be increased. Its technical capacities should be enhanced and appointment of its Chairman not be politically motivated. Some studies show, water treatment cost is 5-10 times higher in China than ours while cost of waste water treatment is about 2-3 times higher. A PRI study suggested differential water pricing based on location as has been practiced in China. It could be done based on industrial concentration, because it simply determines that more concentration of industrial firms in a specific place can cause more harm to the environment. The PRI has come up with a very important topic to address structural deficiencies of our textile sector which is our pride. Inefficient resource use (water and power) and poor environmental practices are some of the common areas. In order to address all these issues and attain long term sustainability of the industrial sector, a platform is required where other stakeholders and professionals can come together to recommend actions for efficient use of resources specially water which presently seems to be abundant but if we are not cautious, our industries will suffer for its inefficient use.
