Sunken wagons not yet salvaged
Ctg oil spill
ANWAR HUSSAIN, Ctg
The Bangladesh Railway has not been able to salvage the two wagons of a freight train carrying furnace oil which plunged into a Chittagong canal on June 19, even though six days have passed after the accident.
The BR authorities said it might take a few more days before the wagons could be salvaged. Weve been working very hard to restore communication on the Chittagong-Dohazari route. The bridge is now fit to run. However, well run trains on the route initially on a trial basis, said Firoz Iftekhar, railways (East Zone) divisional transportation officer, yesterday.
We hope to restore the train services on the route as soon as possible, added Iftekhar.
It may be mentioned that repair works at the bridge where the accident took place has already been completed and rail communications might be restored today.
The National River Protection Commission (NRPC) on Tuesday had sent a letter to the Department of Environment (DoE), Chittagong, asking for some information regarding the rivers of Chittagong, including the Halda, the Karnaphuli, the Icchakhali and the Sangu. It also sought information about the navigability, state of pollution and illegal establishments along the banks of the rivers.
DoE director Mokbul Hossain confirmed that they have received the letter. Well submit a report on the present level of salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen in the rivers of Chittagong, he said.
As part of our monitoring, were collecting water samples everyday from different points of the Halda and Karnaphuli rivers after the incident of oil spill. The level of dissolved oxygen has not dropped after the oil spill. Nothing alarming has been found so far, he added.
An inter-ministerial meeting with all stakeholders will be held in the capital soon. A contingency plan regarding the oil spill is also on the cards, said Abdullah Al Mamun, assistant director of the DoE, Chittagong.
The oil and grease have become diluted with the tide and torrential rain. However, were still keeping a close watch on the Halda and Karnaphuli rivers, he added.
