A section of unscrupulous businessmen are manufacturing water without any purification measures and selling those to city residents after putting them in unhygienic containers which could be fatal for human health.
It is learned that more than 100 water purifying factories are being run in different parts of the port city without any approval and supplying tainted water to the city dwellers.
Sources at the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) in Chittagong said 120 water purifying factories have been operating in different areas, including Madarbari,
Kadamtali, Sholo Shahar, Pahartali Ambagan, Baddarhat, Saltgola Crossing, Bandel Road at Patarghata, Rajakhali and New Mansurabad in the port city.
BSTI sources said only eight of the factories had taken approval while 10 others had submitted relevant documents seeking approval from the institution, adding that the rest of the factories had been running without any legal papers.
According to the sources, most of the unapproved factories, which have no water purification system, preserve WASA water in jars and supply them to residences, restaurants and offices tagged with eye-catching labels by managing a section of BSTI officials and employees.
Khorshed Alam, a chemist at the BSTI, told the Dhaka Tribune that some of the factories either use water purification tablets or filter water from the taps of WASA, adding that most of the companies supply water in old and dirty bottles and jars.
“As per the BSTI act, drinking water must be contained into transparent and food grade plastic jar, however, most of the companies have been using jars and bottles made of PVC, which are harmful for public health,” he added.
Aniruddho Ghosh Joy, an assistant professor at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said unsafe water was the source of about 80 diseases, including diarrhea, typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis A, and viral hemorrhagic fever.
“Supplying water into old and dirty bottles and jars can be more harmful than that of directly supplied by the WASA in some cases,” he added.
District administration often fine different factories for manufacturing water without any purifying system; this has not been fruitful in stopping such business as many BSTI and administrative officials are involved with the business.
KM Hanif, assistant director of the BSTI in Chittagong, said they conducted drives against the unapproved water factories frequently, but could not check the trend due to shortage of manpower.
“We fine the owners of unapproved factories and seal their factories off, however, they continued their business setting up factory at another location,” he added.
