Industrial wastes contaminate Gazipur surface water

GAZIPUR, Apr 04 (BSS): The surface water of the district including that of rivers, canals, and beels has been contaminated by the industrial wastes which is also a threat to public health. Numerous water bodies of the district are affected by different industrial units as most of those units do not have any treatment plant although the government had made it mandatory. The industrial factories are releasing waste water and other ravages to nearby canals, rivers or beels defying the rules of environment and many of the open water bodies are on the verge of extinction. There are no living substances in the water of the rivers Turag, Goali, Nagda, Kahardaria, Shaldaha and Lablong due to extreme pollution, Aminul Islam, deputy director of local environment office, told the news agency. The Belai beel, one of the biggest water bodies of the district, is being gradually contaminated and bio-diversity of the district is also affected, he said. "The department of environment of the district has already served notices to 15 industrial units for not incorporating Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) with the units," he added. When contacted, medical officer of Tongi Hospital Sirajul Islam said the surface water of the district is being polluted alarmingly and number of the patients infected with water borne diseases is on the rise . Deputy Commissioner of Gazipur said that an office of the Department of Environment was set up in January last and it is working with the waste management issue.