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Putting 'all' sewer lagoons out of business permanently

October 11, 2007 00:00:00


REPORTS about fishes being bred in sewer lagoons and marketed with unsuspecting people consuming the same day after day, appeared in the media some months ago. Law enforcement personnel then took some actions for the first time since this practice started years ago. A number of such lagoons were reportedly cleared of hazardous fish through commendable action by a mobile court. But what about the remaining uncleared ones? No reports were noted about the clearing of them. If they have not been cleared, then they remain as a health threat. Perhaps poisonous fishes from these lagoons are still coming to the markets though limited in number compared to the past. Thus, all such lagoons need to be put out of business permanently in the interest of public health.
Even after the comprehensive destructions of fishes in most of these sewer lagoons, there is no surety that the crime would not repeat. Any slack or lack of monitoring will lead to fishes again being bred there and sold in markets to infect people and create sicknesses. The evil ones who tasted the profits of the crime will not give up their doings easily. They will do so only if they are sufficiently discouraged and this should include a thorough investigation to find out who in the WASA facilitated the crime. Stern actions should also come against those fish traders who are allegedly engaged in the breeding of such fishes. All categories of persons involved in such criminal activities should be nabbed and charged without showing the least leniency for the deterrent value of the punishment.
Police must be instructed to maintain a presence at or near the lagoons on a regular basis to watch over any further attempts to carry on fish breeding there, without showing the slightest compromise or slackening of vigil.
Abdur Rahim
Uttara, Dhaka

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