The Shela river inside the Sunderbans was opened to movement of water transport vessels barely a month from the oil spill disaster that occured early last month. Environmentalists had been demanding closure of the route through the Sunderbans with a view protecting the world heritage sight from environmental disaster.
On December 9, 2014, the oil tanker sank in the river at Joymonigol under the East Zone of the Sundarbans, threatening the wildlife in the UNESCO World Heritage site. The government banned the movement of water vessels through the river on the following day.
According to the Shipping Ministry’s decision, water vessels can ply the Shela River route until the completion of dredging work on the Mongla-Ghashiakhali channel, but no oil-laden ship will be allowed through the waterway.
Criticising the government decision, environmental activists said movement of water vessels through the river routes of the Sundarbans is direct violation of national laws and international conventions.
Convener of Sundarbans Bachao Andolon (Khulna) Prof Abdul Mannan said water vessels cannot ply through the mangrove forest as the Sundarbans has been declared as a site of Ramsar Convection and a world heritage site.
He said the government has reopened the Shela River route considering the interest of businesspeople, not that of general people and not even the environmental concern.
Research coordinator of the Wildlife Conservation Society Farhana Akter said movement of water vessels through the Sundarbans’ rivers is not acceptable in any way.
Sundarbans Academy director Abdul Halim said the government should take steps to stop the plying of water vessels on all the waterways of the mangrove forest aiming to cope with the adverse effects of recent oil spill and protect the Sundarbans from further environmental disaster.
He suggested immediate dredging of the Mongla-Ghashiakhali channel, an alternative route to the Shela River one, and opening it for water vessels.
UN experts on December 31, 2014 also recommended halting plying water vessels through the Sundarbans to avert further environmental disasters.
On December 10, the government banned the plying of all kinds of vessels through the route until further notice due to an oil tanker crash in the river with some 3.57 lakh litres of furnace oil. UNB
