Restoring the Dhaka rivers
To stop river encroaching, mobile courts have been directed to realise heavy fine from encroachers and polluters of rivers, according to a report published in this newspaper yesterday. Encroaching of rivers and dumping of waste into them has made the Buriganga, Sitalakhhya, Balu and Turag, known as the arteries of the capital, narrow and shallow as a result of which these rivers have lost their navigability. In the 32nd taskforce meeting where this measure was taken recently, it was also decided to ask the owners of the industrial units and holdings in the capital to manage their sewerage system on their own arrangements.
That is really a case in point. The water of these rivers has become severely polluted mixed with effluent from the various industrial units. One can hardly find any aquatic animal including fish in these rivers because water has lost its naturalness and become thick and blackened. Therefore, restoring the navigability of water and bringing back their naturalness is a crying need of the hour and has to be addressed with alacrity and seriousness calling it an environmental disaster. But sadly, this problem is persisting for long without any serious efforts from the relevant government entities.
It is surprising that Hazaribagh tanneries could not still be relocated to Savar because of the dilly-dallying of the tannery owners and it is still more surprising that the industrial ministry could not force the owners to leave the place. But for restoring the naturalness, importance of removing the tanneries cannot be overemphasized. The construction of walkways along the banks of rivers for deterring the encroachers is still to become a reality. All these prove that the government is failing to show seriousness that this environmental catastrophe deserves. Think it as a problem of a developed country. It would have been solved long ago there. In Bangladesh the government is spending money for restoring the four rivers for years, but the problem is remaining as usual. This is a pity.
The point needs to be taken well: this problem cannot be solved in a slapdash manner. The relevant ministries including the ministries of environment, shipping and industries have to work closely with effective coordination chalking out an elaborate plan. Slapping fine to the encroachers certainly bears importance, but the problem of four rivers needs, before all, a comprehensive plan and then sincere work for its proper implementation.
