Cleansing the Buriganga

Despite being repeatedly directed by the High Court to enforce strict measures against pollution and land grabbing along the banks of the Buriganga, there is very little in sight in terms of compliance on the part of the authorities concerned. While initially it was the environmentalists and members of the civil society who voiced concern over mindless pollution to which the river has been subjected for long, lately the commoners too express shock at the state of affairs prompted by reckless pollution, sand digging and grabbing of river banks by organised gangs. The fact that these grabbers are at work under the very nose of the authorities, and are determined to accomplish what they are up to at the cost of ruining the river explains how securely they have strapped their interests with those of the ruling elites — big or small.

This being the reality, there were stray attempts, not to altogether stop but curb the misdeeds. One estimate shows that the capital's tanneries located in Hazaribagh alone discharge an approximate 7.7 million litres of liquid waste and 88 million tonnes of solid waste into the Buriganga on a daily basis. With a very high concentration of toxic chemicals such as chromium, cadmium, arsenic and lead, this reckless discharge is responsible for seriously contaminating the ground and surface water as well. Besides, textile mills, dyeing factories and washing plants from the DND area in Shyampur regularly discharge highly corrosive liquid wastes into the Buriganga, rendering the river extremely threatening to  aquatic life.

The latest directive from the High Court that came on March 10  sought  to ensure government actions in stopping earth filling and grabbing of the Buriganga banks along Charmirerbagh of South Keraniganj within 48 hours. In response to a writ petition, the court asked the government to conduct mobile courts so that none can fill the land along the river bank. The court has also issued a rule upon the government to explain within two weeks why it should not be directed to remove the structure from the land by the river along Charmirerbagh near Farashganj.

Earlier on January 23 this year, the High Court issued rule on the authorities to take stern actions against dumping of industrial waste into the Buriganga at Shyampur, ordering compliance within 48 hours. In its directives, the court also summoned the director general of the department of environment to appear before it to explain failures in complying with several directives it had issued earlier to protect the Buriganga.

It is more than evident that directives from the country's highest court in as important a matter as saving the lifeblood of the capital are being flouted repeatedly. Frustrating as it indeed is, there seems little recourse left to take the authorities to task. By their failures, they have proved themselves listless, and have apparently become immune to admonitions. One wonders: Is it now the political will of the government that should be the

last resort?