Marr, Ana ORCID: 0000-0002-8764-5682 and Dasgupta, Nandini (2008) Strategies for water pollution control in Dhaka, Bangladesh: an institutional and economic analysis. In: 3rd International Conference on the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 22-25 Jul 2008, Monash University Centre, Prato, Tuscany, Italy. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This paper presents primary data based on research carried out as part of a large World Bank project. Results from our survey show that water pollution in Dhaka watershed has reached alarming levels and is posing significant threats to health and economic activity, particularly among the poor and vulnerable. Rice productivity in the watershed area, for example, has declined by 40% in recent years and vegetable cultivation in the riverbeds has been severely damaged. We also found significant correlation between water pollution and diseases such as jaundice, diarrhoea and skin problems. It was reported that the cost of treatment of skin diseases for one episode could be as high as 29% of the weekly earnings of poor households. Given the magnitude of the contamination problem, a multi-agent stakeholder approach was necessary to analyse the institutional and economic constraints that would need to be addressed in order to improve environmental management. This approach, in turn, enabled core strategies to be developed. The strategies were better understood around three types of actors in industrial pollution, i.e. (1) principal actors, who contribute directly to industrial pollution; (2) stakeholders, who exacerbate the situation by inaction; and (3) the potential actors in mitigation of water contamination. Within a carrot-and-stick framework, nine strategies leading to the strengthening of environmental management were explored. They aim at improving governance and transparency within public agencies and private industry through the setting up of incentive structures to advance compliance and enforcement of environmental standards. Civil society and the population at large are, on the other hand, encouraged to contribute actively to the mitigation of water pollution by improving the management of environmental information and by raising public awareness.

Item Type:	Conference or Conference Paper (Paper)
Additional Information:	[1] Presented at 3rd International Conference on the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, held 22-25 July 2008, Prato, Italy. [2] This paper was later published as - Marr, Ana and Dasgupta, Nandini (2009) Industrial water pollution in Dhaka, Bangladesh: strategies and incentives for pollution control in small and medium enterprises. The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 3 (11). pp. 97-108 (see http://gala.gre.ac.uk/1733/).
Uncontrolled Keywords:	water pollution, health and economic impacts, Bangladesh, clean technologies, institutional development
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Business > Department of International Business & Economics
Related URLs:	Organisation Organisation Organisation Organisation Organisation
Last Modified:	22 Oct 2020 17:09
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/2721

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