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Assessing Environmental and Health Impact of Drought in the Northwest Bangladesh

N. C. Dey
Research and Evaluation Division, BRAC, 75 Moakhali, Dhaka 1212

M. S. Alam
Research and Evaluation Division, BRAC, 75 Moakhali, Dhaka 1212

A. K. Sajjan
Centre for Railway Engineering, Central Queensland University (CQU), QLD 4701, Australia

M A. Bhuiyan
School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, City Campus,Melbourne, Australia

L. Ghose
National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212

Y. Ibaraki
Yamaguchi University, 753-0831 Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan

F. Karim
Research and Evaluation Division, BRAC, 75 Moakhali, Dhaka 1212

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Drought, the result of regional climatic variability is one of the dominant threats to environment. This study focuses on the biophysical, environmental and health issues concerning drought occurrence in northwest region of Bangladesh. Using both primary and secondary data, the analysis revealed that, during the drought period, rainfall as the dominant factor of supplying surface water and normalizing the dryness of the nature was almost 46% lower than the previous (normal) years. Similarly, average monthly sunshine hours in the drought year was about 7% higher compared to that of the normal year. On an average, groundwater level declined more than one meter compared to the previous years. Thus, many of the tubewells turned dry or failed to supply the required quantity of water for household and irrigation purposes. A significant number of surface water bodies including ponds, ditches, canals and streams had little volume of low quality water. In normal years, almost all households used hand tubewells (HTWs) as the major source of drinking water, while in the drought period only 90% households could use HTW water since substantial proportion of the HTWs turned dry. People had to collect drinking and domestic water from far distance to meet the basic requirements. Increase in temperature and prevalence of severe dust during drought periods compared to the normal years caused different health hazards including dysentery and diarrhoea due to unsafe drinking water.

Keywords: Drought, Environment, Groundwater, Health hazard, Northwest Bangladesh

Location: Northwest region of Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-05-1994

End Date: 00-12-1994

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Non-commodity: Drought

Objectives:

The specific objectives of the study were as follows: 1. to demarcate the level of fluctuations of groundwater table in the northwest region and to outline the differences in groundwater supply in drought situation in Bangladesh over the years. 2. to assess the experiences of the inhabitants on the use of water resource in drought years. 3. to understand the impact of drought on disease occurrence among the inhabitants in the study areas, and, 4. to markout the coping mechanism of the same population under water stress (drought) situation.

Methodology:

Data source: The study used both primary and secondary data. (i) Primary data: Data on the availability of groundwater, surface water, vegetation/plants conditions, temperature and dust were collected through conducting sample survey. In addition, data on health related problems occurred among the inhabitants and their coping mechanisms were also collected. (ii) Secondary data: Data on groundwater level, maximum temperature, annual rainfall, humidity, bright sunshine hours, etc for the study periods were taken from different Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) offices; e.g. district meteorology office, Rangpur, and BRRI regional station in Rangpur, etc. Data management and statistical analysis: Filled-in questionnaires were edited and coded for computer entry under the close supervision. Twenty percent of the questionnaires were re-checked for being consistencies. The analysis was performed using SPSS 16.0 software. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in analyzing the data. T-test compared the significance of mean differences between normal year and drought year for different climatic parameters. The difference was considered statistically significant at p<0.05 (twotailed test) level.

Source of Information: J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 4(2): 89-97, 2011; ISSN 1999-7361

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

A significant number of surface water bodies including ponds, ditches, canals and streams had little volume of low quality water. In normal years, almost all households used hand tubewells (HTWs) as the major source of drinking water, while in the drought period only 90% households could use HTW water since substantial proportion of the HTWs turned dry. People had to collect drinking and domestic water from far distance to meet the basic requirements. Increase in temperature and prevalence of severe dust during drought periods compared to the normal years caused different health hazards including dysentery and diarrhea due to unsafe drinking water.

Knowledge Management: Journal