WE are not water-starved; but policy-wise we are evidently bankrupt. We have had a natural abundance of the precious, life-nurturing and growth-yielding resource, especially in the monsoons.

Bangladesh, being the world's largest delta, has 1,210 billion cubic metres of surface water, but in contrast has only 21 billion cubic metres of ground water reserve. And how are we utilizing the resource? Firstly, we have allowed some 300 rivers to be contaminated by untreated industrial effluents and human wastes making a cruel mockery of what are called 'natural sources of fresh water.'

The second and seminal anomaly in water utilization lies in overdependence on ground water to supply   80 percent of drinking water to the cities. The remainder 20 percent is supplied by the surface water treatment plants. The imbalance is striking here when you take into account the fact that ground water reserve is 57 times less than surface water. The argument that because the river water is polluted we had to turn to sub-soil water is as disingenuous as it is ridiculously expedient .To add to the misery, the short-sighted approach risks serious land subsidence.    

So we flag the paramount issue of not just balanced but extremely prudent utilization of waters from   both sources, let alone harvesting the substantial amounts of rain water. We need to address the question fairly and squarely so as to deliver and implement a well-thought- out  water use policy considered so vital for sustenance of life and rapid economic development.