Once fresh and clear, the water of the Shitalakkhya River in Naraynganj has now turned murky due to continuous discharge of untreated industrial wastes, thousands of tonnes of garbage and sewerage water into the tributary of the Brahmaputra.
Around 500 industries on the banks of the river are releasing 62 types of toxic chemicals into the river leaving its water dangerously contaminated. The toxic chemicals include chromium, mercury, chlorine, zinc, nickel, lead, phosphogypsum, cadmium and various other acids and alkalis.
Board mills, dyeing factories, oil refineries, leather processing industries and pulp and paper mills are also held responsible for discharging untreated toxic wastes.
Once, the water of the river had been taken to several areas of Indian sub-continent and London. But, now, the residents of the district cannot use it for pollution
In addition to Narayanganj town’s sewerage waste, the Balu river is also carrying sewerage water from the capital city’s northern part into the river.
During the dry season the wastes get piled up on the riverbed as its slow and weak current cannot flash the garbage away.
The people living on the banks of the river once used to drink its fresh water. But the contamination has attained such a level that the water has turned reddish and also emits unpleasant odour.
People living on the banks and those crossing the river now feel suffocated as they smell the unpleasant stench coming out from the contaminated water.
The 62-kilometre long river stretches from Kalagachia river port of Narayanganj to Tok Bormi of Mymensingh district.
In addition to pollution, some land sharks have illegally occupied lands on its banks, where some have started their business of sand and stone. Also some industrialists are unlawfully using the river banks to run their business threatening its navigability.
As part of creating public awareness different voluntary organisations held colourful boat rallies, formed human chain, distributed leaflets, pasted posters and organised a signature campaign- but all the efforts have proved futile.
Industrialists are not using effluent treatment plants (ETPs), though the caretaker government in 2007 made it mandatory for them to ensure safe waste disposal.
Now the local people have made a series of demands including river dredging, compelling the industries to install ETPs, construction of paved roads on both sides of the river for clear demarcation of the river banks and setting up of an office of the environment directorate to monitor water pollution of the river and bringing the violators of the instruction to book.
Teacher and writer Ali Ehosan said: “The river is one of the important resource in the district. Once the water of the river was used for domestic, Rafiur Rabbi, Senior Vice-President of the committee, said: “Once, the water of the river had been taken to several areas of Indian sub-continent and London. But, now, the residents of the district cannot use it for pollution.”
“The dredging in the river should be started soon and 500 dyeing and factories near the riverside should be removed soon,” he said.
“Water treatment plant should be set up to save the people of the city,” he added. Agricultural and residential purposes. But now it cannot be used due to pollution.”
Abdur Rahman, Secretary of Naraynganj Nagorik Committee, said: “The river is being polluted through a number of pointed and non-pointed sources including untreated sewerage inputs from the town, waste water and other numerous other contamination sources, such as small-manufacturing facilities and significant non-point agricultural activities.”
“Moreover, other important pollution sources such as industrial inputs from a paint factory, power station, building materials factory and municipal solid wastes that drain directly into the river and receive sewage effluents from the sewer system of the town,” he also said.
“We have been struggling to free the river from pollution since 2006 and submitted memorandum to the Prime Minister,” he added.
Rafiur Rabbi, Senior Vice-President of the committee, said: “Once, the water of the river had been taken to several areas of Indian sub-continent and London. But, now, the residents of the district cannot use it for pollution.”
“The dredging in the river should be started soon and 500 dyeing and factories near the riverside should be removed soon,” he said.
“Water treatment plant should be set up to save the people of the city,” he added.
Batmen Sajal, Mobarak, Liton, Ainal, Shaheen, Lokman and Sabur said they had to suffer a lot as they could not use the water for bad smelling.
