Editorial
Students' participation in anti-pollution drive
A welcome development
A news item published in Sunday's issue of The Daily Star caught our attention. A group of students from the Department of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka took part in an anti-pollution drive led by the Department of Environment (DoE). Their purpose was to create mass awareness about the disastrous consequence of environmental pollution by leading from the front. We heartily welcome the students' spontaneous participation in the fight against pollution.
The DoE fined two garment industries in Savar Tk 36.31 lakh for discharging liquid waste into a canal, flouting the environment conservation law. Such offence took a heavy toll on the canal and the Dhaleswari river. The students' visible enthusiasm and commitment for the cause bolstered the DoE's drive.
As far as anti-pollution drives go, we have seen only a few private initiatives, far less from the community. This inadequacy clearly indicates two things: first, how poorly sensitized we are about the consequences of environmental pollution; and secondly, it shows the city dwellers are yet to consider it as their own problem and pass it on to the shoulders of the DoE. However, in the ever-expanding city of Dhaka as well as in other big cities, a large part of environmental degradation is caused by irresponsible and insensitive behaviour of citizens. While stringent as well as regular monitoring on the part of the DoE is the first step forward, city dwellers both at individual and social levels have to come forward through mobilization and targeted work programme.
Seen from this perspective, the initiative taken by the DU students is just a beginning. We see the prospect of extending their involvement leading the way for replication of their projects. We envisage an endeavour in which more students from public and private educational institutions will bring their energy and fresh ideas to bear on the fight against man-made environmental degradation.
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