For a pollution-free Buriganga

Water Resources Minister Anwar Hossain Monju, replying to a query at the Jatiya Sangsad Sunday, said the government had taken an initiative to make the Buriganga River pollution-free through increasing its water flow. Under a project, the Water Development Board will increase 141 cusec water flow of the Buriganga River by bringing 245 cusec water flow from the River Jamuna during the dry season, the minister mentioned. Consequently, the water flow and navigability of the Buriganga River will increase during the dry season and the intensity of pollution will also be decreased.

It is extremely worrying to note that the waters of the Buriganga and Shitalakhya rivers have been polluted beyond recognition. There was a time when the waters of these rivers were clear. Fishermen would catch various kinds of fishes from these rivers. Now many species of aquatic lives, including fishes, have disappeared from these rivers. Who are responsible for the pollution of the waters of these rivers? The disaster is completely man-made. Unplanned urbanization is partly to blame for this menace.

There was a plan to revive the Buriganga and other rivers surrounding the capital city from pollution. The project was scheduled to dredge 162 kilometres area of rivers to bring water from the Jamuna river for increasing the water flow of the Buriganga during the lean season so that increased flow in the latter could push forward the pollutants. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) started the river dredging work in 2012 but suspended the same after a year for lack of dredgers. But it is unfortunate to note that crores of taka had been allegedly misused in such river dredging activities.

Some high officials of the BWDB also blamed fund crisis for non-implementation of the project. But it is a lame excuse. If the work of the river restoration project is done with a good intention, fund is no problem. Many unnecessary projects are taken up on political considerations in the Annual Development Plans (ADPs). Those hardly serve any purpose. There is absence of proper monitoring, supervision, accountability and transparency of the works done.

But even dredging alone will not free the Buriganga and other rivers from the scourge of pollution unless the industrial wastes now released freely by the industrial units located in the rivers’ banks are checked. Scores of industries are dumping toxic and hazardous effluents into the rivers every day. It must be checked, otherwise the entire exercise will be futile. It is high time for the government to take legal action against the encroachers and polluters of rivers and water-bodies.   

 

For a pollution-free Buriganga

Water Resources Minister Anwar Hossain Monju, replying to a query at the Jatiya Sangsad Sunday, said the government had taken an initiative to make the Buriganga River pollution-free through increasing its water flow. Under a project, the Water Development Board will increase 141 cusec water flow of the Buriganga River by bringing 245 cusec water flow from the River Jamuna during the dry season, the minister mentioned. Consequently, the water flow and navigability of the Buriganga River will increase during the dry season and the intensity of pollution will also be decreased. It is extremely worrying to note that the waters of the Buriganga and Shitalakhya rivers have been polluted beyond recognition. There was a time when the waters of these rivers were clear. Fishermen would catch various kinds of fishes from these rivers. Now many species of aquatic lives, including fishes, have disappeared from these rivers. Who are responsible for the pollution of the waters of these rivers? The disaster is completely man-made. Unplanned urbanization is partly to blame for this menace. There was a plan to revive the Buriganga and other rivers surrounding the capital city from pollution. The project was scheduled to dredge 162 kilometres area of rivers to bring water from the Jamuna river for increasing the water flow of the Buriganga during the lean season so that increased flow in the latter could push forward the pollutants. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) started the river dredging work in 2012 but suspended the same after a year for lack of dredgers. But it is unfortunate to note that crores of taka had been allegedly misused in such river dredging activities. Some high officials of the BWDB also blamed fund crisis for non-implementation of the project. But it is a lame excuse. If the work of the river restoration project is done with a good intention, fund is no problem. Many unnecessary projects are taken up on political considerations in the Annual Development Plans (ADPs). Those hardly serve any purpose. There is absence of proper monitoring, supervision, accountability and transparency of the works done. But even dredging alone will not free the Buriganga and other rivers from the scourge of pollution unless the industrial wastes now released freely by the industrial units located in the rivers banks are checked. Scores of industries are dumping toxic and hazardous effluents into the rivers every day. It must be checked, otherwise the entire exercise will be futile. It is high time for the government to take legal action against the encroachers and polluters of rivers and water-bodies.