The Shitalakhya River, also known as Lakhya Nodi, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, flowing through the district has nearly become dead due to industrial waste and chemical.
Sources at Deputy Commissioner’s Office said hundreds of factories situated near the river are dumping garment factory waste, dyeing chemicals, polythene, printing, fertilisers, cement factory waste violating industrial and environmental laws.
Thousands of farmers in Sadar, Polash upazila and Shibpur upazilas are affected as a large numbers of industries are continuously spewing toxic industrial wastes into agriculture lands violating rules.
They said that the toxic water that goes down the drains from those factories finally end up in the river. The toxic wastes include chemical dyeing, detergents, ammonia, lime, sulphate, sulhuric acid, soda, bleaching powder and many other harmful materials.
Samir Chandra, now turned into boatman from fisherman, said around a decade ago people used to catch fish from the river and water bodies around it.
“But the scenario has now changed and no fish can be found in the polluted water,” he said.
Sources said most of the factories are not following rules and regulations of the Department of Environment (DE) although the department has directed all the entrepreneurs to set up Effluent Treatment Plant(ETP) to check pollution.
During a visit to Shilmandi, Madhabdi and Panchdona in Narsingdi Sadar, Danga, Ghorashal in Polash upaizla, Kararchar, Bhareterkandi Sherpur in Shibpur upazila, it was found most of the dyeing, printing and textiles industries and other factories releasing toxic chemical into the river and another water bodies nearby it.
A physician at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital said these toxic substances mixed in river water affect the health of the people and many are suffering many diseases including skin infections and diarrhoea. Even domestic animals are affected due to toxic substances in river water, but no effective measures have been taken to improve the situation.
Many houses near the river are forced to use the dirty water for their household needs including bathing and washing. They must use the toxic water because they have no alternatives.
Masud Khan, teacher of Govt Birinda Primary School said his two children and other family members were suffering from skin diseases as they used water of the river.
“Water of the river has taken a dark hue and become poisonous due to continuous dumping of factory waste and chemical mixed coloured water of textile industries,” he said.
Farmer Habij Uddin of Kajuir village in Danga Union under Polash upazila, said: “The water cannot be used for growing crops as it is adversely polluted.”
Many farmers like Habij Uddin, Riaj Uddin and Ismail have expressed their deep frustration as the cultivation of crops are being hampered seriously in their areas.
Ashadozzaman Khokan, the secretary of Narsingdi district unit of Sujon, a citizens’ right body, said they would go for tough programmes if the authorities did not take necessary steps against the industries responsible for polluting the environment.
Deputy Director of Department of Environment in Narsingdi Mohammad Ataur Rahman said they were monitoring the activities of the factories that were polluting lands, rivers, canals and water bodies and environment.
The department also carried out drives through mobile courts against factories that are violating the law, he said.
Ataur Rahman said that around 65 factories had installed ETPs and the rest were working to set it within a short time. The deputy commissioner served notices to the factory owners a number of times.
Owners also assured the DC that they would set up ETPs in their factories, more than 50% of factories did not keep promises.