Deplorable condition of Gulshan-Baridhara lake
Photo: SK Enamul Haq
I am talking about a septic tank that lies between Gulshan and Baridhara. It used to be a lake some years back, but no more. There is no water in this stagnant pool now but only thick dark stinking fluid. Way back in 2001, the Ministry of Environment and Forest constituted a task force to go into the problems of the lake and recommend measures for their remedy. The Environment Directorate submitted its findings and recommendations of the task force in December 2001 through a covering letter No. Poribesh/Gobeshona-122/2001/2880 dated 20 December 2001 to the Ministry of Environment and Forest. Incidentally I have a copy of the report. The task force gave nineteen short, medium and long term recommendations which included among others, provision of sewerage system in Baridhara (it is a shame that the so-called diplomatic enclave does not have this basic facility), installation of permanent arrangement for sewage disposal in DOHS Baridhara, stopping all effluents from factories in Kalachandpur and other areas, constructing bridges in place of culverts, demolishing all unauthorised structures on the lake, maintaining the lake banks including planting trees etc. In twelve years the successive governments have not done anything and so the situation has gone from bad to worse. The volume of sewerage has increased manifold with construction of high-rise apartments. The sight and bad smell have become unbearable to the residents of the area. Will the government kindly do something?
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