Polluted water of Hatirjheel

Turning Hatirjheel into a lake was a brilliant idea. But giving the idea a practical shape was a very daunting challenge. Yet the planners and engineers who undertook the challenge rose equal to it in terms of physical infrastructure built on the lake and the aesthetic beauty of magical quality created, courtesy of lighting at night. For this crowded capital, the lake promised to be one of its lungs. But the spectacular achievement has been seriously undermined by the severely polluted water in the lake. So thick is the pollution that the lake has practically turned into a cesspool. Its water emanates so strong stinks that people not only using its walkways but also the nearby residents are all overwhelmed by nausea.
Even when the lake was opened to the public, the water was stinky. People were assured of installation of a few technological devices capable of freeing the water from pollution. Instead, the problem has compounded further to the extent that the stink now drives people away from the lakeside. It is known that that the storm sewerage from the Panthapath opens up at the culvert on the Sonargaon point. The sewerage carries sewage, waste - both solid and liquid - from Kalabagan, Kathal Bagan, Paribagh and even Dhanmondi to the lake. This is in addition to the garbage and litters dumped into it from Kawranbazar. Direct sewerage connection from the nearby residences of Maghbazar only makes the matter worse.
No technology can clean the water if Hatirjheel becomes the ultimate destination of waste materials from the surrounding areas as well as from the storm sewerage. The fact that the electrically operated mechanical screen has to work beyond its capacity at the mouth of the culvert says it all. Dead chickens, intestines of cows and goats, thrown-away food packets, polythene bags and even torn quilts and mattresses get accumulated there. Clearly, responsible for the situation is systemic failure as well as civil irresponsibility. Reportedly, the storm sewerage was supposed to carry only the excess rainwater from the surrounding areas in order to avoid water-logging. But it is now serving as the main artery of sewage.
Anyone can see that disconnection of the sewerage pipes from the storm sewerage and the lake itself will solve more than half the problem. The other measure concerns the disposal of garbage from Kawranbazar away from the lake. But it is easier said than done. As for the disconnection of sewerage pipes, there is a need for an alternative system of sewage disposal from the areas concerned. But a professor of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) has suggested that the problem can be taken care of by separately using glass reinforced pipes (GRP) for the purpose. He is of the opinion that the merit of GRP is that the project can be accomplished at a moderate cost. If this is so, this should be given a try. Also its efficiency can easily be tested within a limited area before embarking on a comprehensive programme.