The pollution level of the Bakkhali River, the largest river in Cox’s Bazar, has risen to an all time high, but the local environment authorities have allegedly been inactive.
Local officials at the Department of Environment (DoE), however, argue that they are unable to take any measures because of a shortage of manpower.
They have also stressed the need for a coordinated approach by the municipal authorities, district administration and environmental groups to combat the problem.
The level of pollution is rising because household wastes produced by more than five lakh people living in the district are dumped there.
The DoE has tested samples collected from several parts of the river and found that the level of dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) vary greatly in comparison to the standard values.
Water from a source is considered polluted if the level of DO is 4.5-8.5ppm, BOD is below 50mg and TDS is over 2,100ppm. In a DoE test last year, the level of TDS was found to be 9,110ppm in the river’s middle wharf area, much higher than the standard value.
Experts say the overly high amount of TDS proves the river is gradually getting polluted.
“Pollution cannot be controlled solely by our own efforts. We need assistance from everyone. The local municipality has been of no help till now. Nonetheless, we will take legal steps to check the pollution,” said Sardar Shariful Islam, assistant director of DoE’s Cox’s Bazar office.
He said the municipality arranges to have the wastes produced by the district’s inhabitants dumped in the river, causing it to be polluted gradually.
The DoE official warned that a lack of effective action would make the river more polluted than the Buriganga.
Twelve tonnes of wastes from the municipal area are dumped in the water bodies every day and more than half end up in Bakkhali River, said Fazlul Quader Chowdhury, director of Green Cox’s Bazar.
He said every country has a waste management policy and the wastes could be utilised to be turned into organic fertilisers and other elements.
Md Ruhul Amin, deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, said the municipality officials had already been asked to dump the garbage at the designated place.
He also emphasised the necessity of coordinated efforts to save the river from pollution.