Govt to free Karnaphuli from pollution
Monday, 31 August 2009
Several projects are underway to stop pollution of the river Karnaphuli and free the strategically important navigation channel from both oily and solid wastes, reports BSS.
This is necessary for turning Chittagong Port into an export- import friendly harbour of this region, said the report of a recent survey conducted by the Department of Oceanography of the Chittagong University.
The survey gave a dismal picture of the river Karnaphuli that might turn into a mere dirty canal unless the present trend of dumping over 1,000 tonnes of industrial and municipal wastes every day into its water is stopped.
Besides, oily wastes released by ocean going ships are poised to be another big factor for fast deteriorating the normal flow and navigability of the river.
The report further said Karnaphuli is going to brace the same fate of rivers Buriganga and Sitalakhya, as release of corrosive industrial filth from both banks of this river is going on unabated.
The survey report also identified heavy siltation due to construction of bridges and indiscriminate cutting of hills and forests as other major factors responsible for the present pitiful condition of this once turbulent river that coming down from the Lusai Hills falls into the Bay of Bengal.
When contacted, Shipping Ministry sources said that news agency that various schemes were underway to stop the main sources of pollution along the 21 nautical miles upstream from the conflux of the river Karnaphuli.
The sources said the Chittagong Port Authority [CPA] had conducted a massive survey on this vital issue and taken a number of schemes under its environment development programmes.
The sources said as per Rule 15 of MARPOL [Marine Pollution] Convention of International Maritime Organisation [IMO], Bangladesh is going to procure an Oily Waste Reception Vessel to remove corrosive oily substances that are released from local and foreign vessels operating through this port. The ADB-financed under-construction vessel is expected to be commissioned by December this year.
This is necessary for turning Chittagong Port into an export- import friendly harbour of this region, said the report of a recent survey conducted by the Department of Oceanography of the Chittagong University.
The survey gave a dismal picture of the river Karnaphuli that might turn into a mere dirty canal unless the present trend of dumping over 1,000 tonnes of industrial and municipal wastes every day into its water is stopped.
Besides, oily wastes released by ocean going ships are poised to be another big factor for fast deteriorating the normal flow and navigability of the river.
The report further said Karnaphuli is going to brace the same fate of rivers Buriganga and Sitalakhya, as release of corrosive industrial filth from both banks of this river is going on unabated.
The survey report also identified heavy siltation due to construction of bridges and indiscriminate cutting of hills and forests as other major factors responsible for the present pitiful condition of this once turbulent river that coming down from the Lusai Hills falls into the Bay of Bengal.
When contacted, Shipping Ministry sources said that news agency that various schemes were underway to stop the main sources of pollution along the 21 nautical miles upstream from the conflux of the river Karnaphuli.
The sources said the Chittagong Port Authority [CPA] had conducted a massive survey on this vital issue and taken a number of schemes under its environment development programmes.
The sources said as per Rule 15 of MARPOL [Marine Pollution] Convention of International Maritime Organisation [IMO], Bangladesh is going to procure an Oily Waste Reception Vessel to remove corrosive oily substances that are released from local and foreign vessels operating through this port. The ADB-financed under-construction vessel is expected to be commissioned by December this year.