CHATTOGRAM, June 26: The port city of Chattogram is fast turning into a hellhole for its atmospheric pollution caused by dirt, dust and black smoke.
Noise pollution is another irritant in the industrial city.
According to environmentalists, unnecessary honking by chaotic traffic and tonnes of smog caused by exhausts fumes per year are polluting the city alarmingly.
The residents are getting down with different diseases because of environmental pollution, they said.
Pollution caused by black smoke unfit vehicles emit and dust from open space has increased bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory diseases here, physicians said.
People here experience sound pollution caused by hydraulic horns, power generators and welding workshops located in and around residential areas.
Noise affects children mentally and physically. Normal life is being hampered by power generators operating round the clock in different posh areas.
According to experts, sound pollution has reached nearly 200 decibels against its tolerable level of 60.
They said air pollution from thousands of unfit vehicles reached 100 per cent against its maximum tolerable level of 65 per cent.
Besides, pollution from dust has also reached 500-plus microgram against the tolerable level of 200-microgram suspended particulates.
Environmentalists blamed smoked air caused by unfit vehicles, coupled with dust, for such environmental degradation in the city.
If this degradation continues, doctors have cautioned, respiratory deceases would increase manifold.
According to Chattogram environment office, pollution is very high at Bahaddarhat crossing, GEC crossing, New Market, Agrabad, Chawkbazar and Andarkillah.
Residents in the jam-packed places alleged that the situation worsens at night as welders start generators, creating noise higher than tolerable levels.
Poet Munirul Munir said, "It's very difficult to do my writing job because of noise."
Writer Akter Hossain said, "We cannot come out for dust. In dry season, dust mixes with air and causes diseases."
Saimon Ahamed, a Chawkbazar dweller, said, "I cannot hear my mother calling me from the next room for sound from generators used by flats and welding factories."
"Students, particularly the activists of the ruling party's student wing use mike or high sound at parties on the nearby rooftop three to four days a week."
Prof Shamsuddin Shishir, a Teachers Training College teacher living in Lalkhanbazar area, said, "I usually study at night but I find it hard to do so for noise."
"It's unfortunate that some young men use the high-pitched sound system on the rooftop almost every day."
"My kids often get up from sleep frightened and start crying to hear the sound of heavy vehicles," Prof Shishir added.
Health experts apprehend that non-stop sound pollution may totally deafen kids as well as adults.
Ear-nose-throat specialist Dr Abdus Sattar said, "A noisy environment can affect children physically and psychologically."
The government guidelines stipulate that welding units, lathes, iron factories and generators must be set up at least one kilometre off residences and power generators be set up underground.
It is alleged that factory and welding workshop owners and developers of residential flats pay no heed to the complaints regarding the rising pollution.
More than 20,000 unfit light and heavy vehicles are plying the city and its adjacent areas and emitting black smoke, according to Chattogram office of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).
BRTA sources said they send data on unfit vehicles to traffic department every six months in order to check the vehicles and control black smoke.
BRTA assistant director Md Shah Alam said they regularly notify the defaulting owners for renovating vehicles, renewing certificates and paying road taxes.
Deputy commissioner (traffic) Haroon-ur-Rashid Hazaree said unfit vehicles not only pollute air and cause noise, but also create congestion and road accidents.
He highlighted the need for joint efforts by traffic department and BRTA to check the vehicles.
Chattogram environment department director Azadur Rahman Mollick said, "We've fined nearly 4,000 vehicles over Tk 50 lakh for emitting smoke in recent years."
"The drive against unfit vehicles will continue and the authorities will take action soon after anybody comes up with complaints about sound pollution," he uttered.
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