About 90,000 cubic meter of untreated industrial waste is dumped into the country’s rivers each day destroying the major sources of surface water, according to a report of the Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba).
The report says although it is mandatory to set up the Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) in industries before going into operation, many industries have no ETPs, and many others do not make the ETPs operational and discharge the untreated waste into the rivers directly.
Poba, a voluntary environmental organisation, released the report on the state of country’s river at a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club in the city on Friday.
About 21,000 cubic meter of untreated toxic waste from tanneries in the city’s Hazaribagh is released into Buriganga River daily, the report says, adding that the highly toxic waste is not only polluting the Buriganga, but also polluting air in the area.
About the river grabbing, it revealed that the nature of river grabbing has been changed. Despite recovery of the rivers, the grabbers again install structures on the bank of rivers. So, the mobile courts must conduct drives at the same locations again and again to evict illegal structures.
The Poba report says the pollution of Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Sitalakhya rivers have reached an alarming level and the dissolved oxygen of the river water has almost reached zero level.
It recommended taking strong measures to check river pollution aiming to save surface water sources.
Poba chairman Abu Naser Khan, former additional director general of the Department of Environment (DoE) Engr Abdus Sobhan, vice chancellor of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Dr M M Shafiullah, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Protesters at a human chain programme on Friday demanded that the government take action against the top officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) for leasing out banks of different rivers around Dhaka city.
A number of social right organisations, including Nou-Sarak-Railkhat Raksha Jatiya Committee (National Committee to Protect River, Road and Railway sector), Green Club of Bangladesh (GCB), Citizens Rights Movement, Unnayan Dhara Trust, Green Belt Trust, Buriganga Banchao Andolan, Nirapad Nou o Sarakpath Andolan, PEACE, Nadi Raksha Shapath, Sammilita Jaladhar Raksha Andolan, Paribesh Sammata Basjogya Dhaka Bastabayan Parishad and Nirapad Noupath Bastabayan Andolan, organised the human chain and rally in front of the National Press Club.
The protesters alleged that the BIWTA has leased out the riverbanks and foreshore of different rivers around Dhaka city including the Buriganga, Shitalakhya, Turag and Balu, defying a High Court verdict and the decision of inter-ministerial taskforce on rivers.
Addressing the programme organniosed on the occasion of the World Water Day 2014, the speakers said the HC verdict and the decision of the inter-ministerial taskforce on rivers prohibited any lease of the riverbanks but. But defying the verdict, BIWTA and Narayanganj River Port Authority had leased out vast stretches of the shores of the Buriganga, Shitalakhya and Turag to different individuals and establishments.
They said the officials of BIWTA, including its chairman, should be punished as the state-owned organisation had acted against the national interest violating the HC verdict and the government decisions. They said the illegal lease of riverside lands would continue if the officials concerned are not punished.
The speakers urged the government to cancel the lease of the riverside lands and to evict the illegal occupants from the riverside lands.
Presided over by Jatiya Committee convener Ashis Kumar Dey, the rally was also addressed by Ganatantri Party general secretary Nurur Rahman Selim, Citizens’ Rights Movement secretary general Tushar Rehman and Unnayan Dhara Trust member-secretary Aminur Rasul Babul. -UNB
