CHATTOGRAM, May 22: The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is going to set nets at the canal mouths in a bid to prevent entry of garbage into the Karnaphuli river for keeping its water free from pollution.
CPA Chairman Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail said, "We'll set nets at the mouths of canals so that garbage, including plastic and polyethylene waste, can't go into the river."
Earlier, the CPA dredged garbage from the Karnaphuli riverbed. Some, 50 per cent of the waste was polythene, he said.
"We started cleaning 13-feet polythene from the riverbed. But, practically we had to clean 21ft polythene. We failed to clean the polythene by an imported suction dredger. But, we cleaned the waste with our local-made grab dredgers," he added.
He further said the port city's garbage is going into the river every day through canals. Now, I think of setting up nets at the mouths of canals.
"If we can prevent the entry of garbage into the Karnaphuli, the river's navigational channel will be smooth and the seaport will be saved."
Sources said the city residents produce 3000 MT of domestic waste every day - of which plastic-polyethylene waste is 249 MT as 8.3 per cent. Of these, 35.61 per cent of plastic-polyethylene waste is recyclable.
However, 109MT is collected to dump in the landfill while 140MT of plastic-polyethylene is dumped into the drains and canals of the city.
Some 56.22-percent uncollected (140 MT) plastic-polyethylene waste is the main reason for waterlogging in the port city. It also causes environmental disaster.
In addition, rivers and canals are facing severe pollution due to the mismanaged plastic waste. Even plastic particles are spreading in human, fish and animal bodies.
A research by the students of Chattogram University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) revealed this information.
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