Urban wastes pollute Padma’s water in Rajshahi

Drainage water of the Rajshahi metropolis is continuously polluting
waters in the Padma River posing a serious threat to its ecosystem and
biodiversity, specialists and environmentalists here said.
Many of the people, who are dependent on the river, are being infected
with different skin diseases after using the river water.
According to sources with Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), the city’s
drainage system is linked with the river through a number of outlets
in different areas like Bashari, Bulanpur, Shreerampur, Shimlapark,
Dargapara, Masterpara, Fudkipara, Kumarpara and Kazla.
All the polluted and contaminated water of the drainage network is
being discharged to the river directly through the major outlets round
the clock.
Besides, the people residing along the riverbank are throwing away
their clinical and household wastes either to the connecting drains or
the river regularly polluting the river water.
“I have been suffering from skin disease after using river water for
the last couple of months,” said Anil Sarker, a resident of Fudkipara,
adjacent to the river. He said, “Most of the people of Fudkipara,
Kumarpara, Alupatty and Panchabati are dependent on the river for
bathing”.
“Even, some of those use river water for cooking rice and pulse,” said
Arman Ali, another resident.
Prof Dr Golam Sabbir Sattar Tapu of Department of Geology and Mining
of Rajshahi University said, “Pollution in the river is posing a
serious threat to its biodiversity. This is the high time to protect
the ecosystem”.
Apart from this, many of the city dwellers have their safety-tank
connections with the drainage system contaminating its water with
various harmful bacteria that should be taken into consideration on an
urgent basis, he added.
Referring to the findings of a research conducted by the Department of
Zoology of the RU, he mentions there were 180 fish species in the
river around 20 years back. But, the figure has been reduced to 60 to
62 at present. If the situation prolongs, the total ecosystem of the
river will become endangered. -BSS, Rajshahi

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