Water pollution, bank grabbing making Karnaphuli a dead river
Sunday, 29 July 2007
Fakhrul Alam
CHITTAGONG, July 28: The Karnaphuli is gradually becoming a dead river amid dreadful pollution and constant bank grabbing by different quarters.
According to sources, a number of government and private organisations have so far grabbed around 2,000 acres of land on both the banks of the river.
As many as 720 industrial units have been established along both its banks, and dirt and garbage of these factories are indiscriminately being dropped into the river.
Besides, everyday on an average 700 tonnes of garbage, collected from the entire port-city, as well as a huge quantity of stool and urine are also being thrown into the river.
Moreover, about 1,250 oil-carrying vessels and 2,500 other marine transports regularly navigate across the river. The dirt and garbage, thrown from these transports, are also responsible for water pollution of the river.
Thus, the Karnaphuli is getting more and more polluted day by day. As a result, different types of fish and other water-species of the region are on the verge of extinction.
Although it is one of the principal rivers of the country, which contributes a lot towards the upliftment of the economy of the region, no government in the past had seriously thought for its safety.
Sometimes mobile court campaigns are launched against the people responsible for polluting water and grabbing the banks of the Karnaphuli. However, the extent of pollution and illegal bank grabbing of the river have not decreased at all, the sources added.
In this connection, conscious quarters have sought immediate steps from the present Caretaker Government to rescue the Karnaphuli from all such menace.
CHITTAGONG, July 28: The Karnaphuli is gradually becoming a dead river amid dreadful pollution and constant bank grabbing by different quarters.
According to sources, a number of government and private organisations have so far grabbed around 2,000 acres of land on both the banks of the river.
As many as 720 industrial units have been established along both its banks, and dirt and garbage of these factories are indiscriminately being dropped into the river.
Besides, everyday on an average 700 tonnes of garbage, collected from the entire port-city, as well as a huge quantity of stool and urine are also being thrown into the river.
Moreover, about 1,250 oil-carrying vessels and 2,500 other marine transports regularly navigate across the river. The dirt and garbage, thrown from these transports, are also responsible for water pollution of the river.
Thus, the Karnaphuli is getting more and more polluted day by day. As a result, different types of fish and other water-species of the region are on the verge of extinction.
Although it is one of the principal rivers of the country, which contributes a lot towards the upliftment of the economy of the region, no government in the past had seriously thought for its safety.
Sometimes mobile court campaigns are launched against the people responsible for polluting water and grabbing the banks of the Karnaphuli. However, the extent of pollution and illegal bank grabbing of the river have not decreased at all, the sources added.
In this connection, conscious quarters have sought immediate steps from the present Caretaker Government to rescue the Karnaphuli from all such menace.