Gazipur water bodies turn poisonous due to pollution

Pollution has made water bodies in Gazipur toxic, and the locals are paying the price of industrialisation, National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) Chairman Dr Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury said after visiting Sreepur.

Factories in the area continue to dump toxic chemicals straight into various water bodies in the area, causing pollutants to accumulate and end up in the Turag River, according to the residents of the upazila. Water has not only become unfit for human consumption but also to be used in farming. Farmers in the area fear that their livelihood is becoming uncertain gradually.

The NRCC chairman recently visited the Gorgoria Masterbari area of ​​Sreepur Municipality of Gazipur on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway. During his visit, he found the water flow of the Loblong canal obstructed by both household and factory waste, as well as the consequent pollution turning the water toxic.

Expressing his concern, Dr Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury told The Business Post that the water in the upazila's water bodies has become alarmingly toxic.

"The locals are paying the price of industrialisation. Someday, the entire nation will pay the price, as a significant portion of the nation's income comes from this area," he said.

"The blame largely falls on the managers of the factories. I urge them to think of the future generation and keep the factories free of pollution," the NRCC chairman added.

Calling for stricter punishment and penalties for the ones responsible for pollution, he also said that a large factory cannot get away with paying a meagre penalty.

"Those who are causing harm to the environment should be jailed as per the law," Dr Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury urged.

Sabuj Mia, a local youth of the Bhabanipur area of ​​Gazipur sadar upazila said that the Labandah canal originates from Sreepur and merges with the Shaldah river in Mirzapur after cutting through Baniyarchala and Bhabanipur.

"The toxic waste flows into the Shaldah River and ultimately falls into the Turag," he said.

The water of the Labandah canal remains black with pollution year-round, Amena Khatun, a homemaker of the Bhabanipur area said.

"The water changes colour slightly during the rainy season. During Eid vacation, the factories remain closed, and the water turns somewhat clean. After the vacation, the factories resume dumping waste in the water and it becomes dirty again," she explained.

The water in the area also has a strong odour caused by pollution. This correspondent spoke to several school-going children who said the odour makes it difficult for them to play outdoors.

Even after rainfall, the pungent odour of the water persists, said Afaz Uddin Nuru, a local farmer.

"I used to farm by myself, but stopped about ten years ago when the water started to become polluted and instead, leased out my land. Nowadays, I can't even let my cattle free to forage, in fear they will end up in the toxic water," the farmer said.

"Water in the canal has become so laden with pollutants that it does not even mix with the rainwater easily," he added.

Khorshed Alam, a member of the Sreepur Upazila National River Protection Committee said the water of Loblong canal was once clear and full of tasty fish. After the canal became polluted with waste, no trace of aquatic life can be seen in the water anymore.

"On behalf of the committee, we have been urging the authority to take action to put an end to the encroachment and pollution. However, we are yet to see any visible measures taken by them," Khorshed Alam said.

Nayan Mia, Deputy Director of the Department of Environment of the Gazipur district office said many factories use biological ETP as a treatment.

"Recently we visited the Meghna Knit Composite Ltd factory and found their water purification plant turned off. The factory authority claimed that they only turn it on when the water level is high," the deputy director said.

"It's quite a technical subject. We can't discuss it at the moment," he added.