Addressing Dhaka's environmental problems

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Residents of Dhaka city with over 13 million people, are exposed to serious living hazards and this situation is worsening day by day. But unfortunately, neither of the two main political parties said anything of substance in their election manifestos during 2008 about addressing these problems of the capital city on going to power.
In a city already overloaded with population, more people from all over the country are coming in their desperate bid to settle here. The influx of population has resulted in not only high population density, but also growth of slums in a more alarming way. At present, more than 0.3 million motor vehicles use the city's roads on a regular basis. But a large number of 'unfit' motor vehicles are noted that is one of the main reasons behind its very serious air pollution .
The management of different kinds of wastes -- solid, clinical, human, industrial and others-- is poor and the issues are not being addressed properly. About 400 tons out of 3,500 tons of solid waste, generated on average in the city everyday, remain on the road and in open spaces. Vehicles of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) remove the rest solid wastes and carry those to dumping grounds, which are again located in open spaces, contributing to air and water pollution in the areas in the immediate vicinity of the city.
Most of the tannery industries in the city's Hazaribagh area and some other industries at Tejgaon area leave hazardous industrial wastes untreated. Experts fear that the untreated liquid industrial wastes by seeping underground might severely pollute the underground water which is still the main source of water in the city.
Meanwhile, the inadequate and faulty sewerage network in the city is able to carry only about half of the total sewage to the only sewage treatment plant at Pagla in Narayanganj. The city generates about 1.2 lakhs cubic metres of sewage everyday. A huge quantity of sewage oozing out of the city's faulty sewerage network is severely polluting the city's canals, water bodies and the Buriganga river. Untreated sewage is also discharged into the river directly and regularly.
Two studies conducted in the last three years suggested that average noise levels in the city were almost double than permissible levels and rising fast creating an unhealthy environment for its residents.
Thus, it is imperative that the government should make it a very high priority to address specially the environment related problems of the capital city at the earliest.
A S M Haider
Paribag, Dhaka.