Move to make Karnaphuli pollution-free
Like Noakhal in the city's Chaktai area, a good number of canals carrying sewage and garbage flow into the Karnaphuli to pollute the river everyday. The photo was taken on Sunday. Photo: Zobaer Hossain Sikder
Department of Environment (DoE) has taken initiative to save the river Karnaphuli from pollution and keep it navigable. To that end, DoE started issuing notice from Monday to 40 industrial units and establishments on both the banks of the river that are apparently polluting and creating barriers to its navigability. The department asked them to submit their documents in support of their ownership. The DoE identified the units during a recent survey to measure pollution in the river water and ensure environmental clearance by the industrial units. The authorities served notices last year to over 300 industries which are contributing to the river pollution to a great extent at Sagarika, EPZ, Kalurghat, Roufabad, Aturer Depot, Bayezid Bostami, Chaktai, Khatunganj and Sadarghat in the port city, sources said. The recent survey also revealed serious pollution in the river water due to the industrial wastage and sewerage that find their ways to the river through eight canals everyday. The canals included Noakhali Khal (canal), Chaktai Khal, Majhirghat Khal, Gupta Khal, Mohesh Khal, Sundari Khal, Shikalbaha Khal and Ferry Ghat Khal. The quantity of dissolved oxygen (DO) was found minimum 0.1 milligram per litre (mg/l) against the standard level of 4.5 to 8.5 mg/l while chloride highest 4010 mg/l against the standard level of 150 to 600 mg/l, suspended solid (SS) highest 243 mg/l against the standard level of 100 mg/l, chemical oxygen demand (COD) 1544 against standard level of 200mg/l and coliform up to 500 n/100ml. DoE Senior Chemist Mustafizur Rahman Akhand told The Daily Star that the level of DO and SS at the mouth of the canals fluctuated very much that has been threatening lives of aquatic animals and plants to a great extent. He blamed the untreated wastage of industrial units alongside the river and the canals carrying the wastage from inside the city for the highest level of the COD. He emphasised the need for immediate disconnection of drains that carry wastages from the industrial units and residential areas of the city of over 40 lakh people. Prof Manjurul Kibria of Chittagong University Zoology Department in one of his surveys found that of the 66 species of fresh water fishes, around 20 to 25 species and of 59 species of saline water fishes, 10 species already disappeared from the river due to pollution. "This is the high time to save the river by hook or by crook and if the pollution cannot be stopped, not only fishes, all types of aquatic animals and plant will be disappeared from it," Prof Kibria said. DoE Director Abdus Sobhan told The Daily Star on Sunday that they carried out the survey to identify the structures that are creating barrier to the navigability of the river and improve quality of the river water. "The level of the coliform in the water indicates how much human excreta finds their ways to the river through the canals and help the people contacting water-borne diseases like jaundice and typhoid," he said. He said the industrial units will get time to take environmental clearance and stern action will be taken against the violators.
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