Buriganga pollution unbridled
Despite the shifting of all tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar estate, pollution of the Buriganga continues unbridled.
Thousands of factories and inhabitants on either bank of the river dump loads of garbage and other waste into its water, putting the river into great risk.
A visit to the area by this correspondent revealed that the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority and Dhaka South City Corporation are jointly dumping millions of tons of trash and garbage without treatment into the river through a hundred points.
With tanneries of Hazaribagh, some hundreds of polythene and plastic recycling factories in Lalbagh, Islambagh, Kamrangirchar, and more than two hundred dyeing factories have sprouted in Keraniganj, on land grabbed from the river banks.
In addition chemical-mixed water from thousands of different mills and factories near Shyampur, Pagla and Fatulla areas is polluting the water of the river.
Although thousands of tons of trash and garbage are being dumped into the river every year, the environment department is silent.
Household garbage and rejected materials are also going into the river through direct drains.
The WASA and DSCC are producing most of the trash as both the bodies have not been able to establish any liquid waste treatment plant as yet.
There are allegations that the WASA and City Corporation are taking a fixed amount of money from dwellers every year in name of setting up liquid waste treatment plant. However, no measures related to waste treatment plant are visible till now.
A senior official of the DSCC denied the allegation saying, only rain and logged-water enters the river. The project for refining water by the City Corporation is under process. Hopefully, this problem will be resolved very soon, he added.
Meanwhile, the river water is not only polluted but also unhygienic and dangerous for nearby people. The water has turned black and emitting a stench.
Thousands of factories and inhabitants on either bank of the river dump loads of garbage and other waste into its water, putting the river into great risk.
A visit to the area by this correspondent revealed that the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority and Dhaka South City Corporation are jointly dumping millions of tons of trash and garbage without treatment into the river through a hundred points.
With tanneries of Hazaribagh, some hundreds of polythene and plastic recycling factories in Lalbagh, Islambagh, Kamrangirchar, and more than two hundred dyeing factories have sprouted in Keraniganj, on land grabbed from the river banks.
In addition chemical-mixed water from thousands of different mills and factories near Shyampur, Pagla and Fatulla areas is polluting the water of the river.
Although thousands of tons of trash and garbage are being dumped into the river every year, the environment department is silent.
Household garbage and rejected materials are also going into the river through direct drains.
The WASA and DSCC are producing most of the trash as both the bodies have not been able to establish any liquid waste treatment plant as yet.
There are allegations that the WASA and City Corporation are taking a fixed amount of money from dwellers every year in name of setting up liquid waste treatment plant. However, no measures related to waste treatment plant are visible till now.
A senior official of the DSCC denied the allegation saying, only rain and logged-water enters the river. The project for refining water by the City Corporation is under process. Hopefully, this problem will be resolved very soon, he added.
Meanwhile, the river water is not only polluted but also unhygienic and dangerous for nearby people. The water has turned black and emitting a stench.
Locals said they are in a hazardous condition. They are suffering a lot both from polluted water and polluted environment. They are being subjected to both water-borne and air-borne diseases.
When contacted, Dr Mujibur Rahaman Hawlader, Chairman of the National River Protection Commission told Bangladesh Post, “I have recently visited the spot and submitted an overall report to the ministry. We are very much concerned about the matter. We held two meetings with environment department, district commission, BIWTA and other stakeholders last week.
He added that the BIWTA had already started an eviction drive against all instalments on the banks of the river.
“We are organizing a meeting on February 25,” Mujibur Rahman added.
Engineer Taqsem A Khan, managing director of Dhaka WASA said, “Water is hardly being polluted by WASA. Several plants will be built to treat sewerage line trash.”
“We hope the problems will be resolved after completion of these plants,” he added.
When contacted, Dr Mujibur Rahaman Hawlader, Chairman of the National River Protection Commission told Bangladesh Post, “I have recently visited the spot and submitted an overall report to the ministry. We are very much concerned about the matter. We held two meetings with environment department, district commission, BIWTA and other stakeholders last week.
He added that the BIWTA had already started an eviction drive against all instalments on the banks of the river.
“We are organizing a meeting on February 25,” Mujibur Rahman added.
Engineer Taqsem A Khan, managing director of Dhaka WASA said, “Water is hardly being polluted by WASA. Several plants will be built to treat sewerage line trash.”
“We hope the problems will be resolved after completion of these plants,” he added.
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