BSS, Chittagong :
Air and noise pollutions in the port city have reached an intolerable level making the city dwellers suffer from different complicated diseases.
Air pollution caused by emission of black smokes from unfit vehicles and dusts from open spaces results in outbreak of bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory diseases among the city dwellers. Besides, people of different strata in Chittagong are passing hard time tolerating sound pollution created by the hydraulic horns of different kinds of vehicles, power generators and wielding workshops located in and around the residential areas.
Sources said the chaotic environment of noise pollution affects children physically and psychologically. Normal living is being hampered due to round-the- clock operation of power generators in different houses in the posh residential areas of the city and wielding shops.
Experts say sound pollution has reached nearly 200 decibels (dB) against its tolerable level of 60 (dB). Meanwhile, environmentalists said air pollution from thousands of unfit vehicles reached 100 percent while its maximum tolerable level of hard ridge Smoke Unit (HSU) is 65 percent.
Besides, pollution from dusts has also reached 500 plus micrograms though its tolerable level is considered 200 microgram Suspended Particulates Matter (SPM), Chittagong Directorate of Environment (DOE), source said.
Detecting the reason the environmentalists said joining of smoked air created by unfit vehicles coupled with dusts from open space is causing such environmental degradation.
Physicians fear if such environmental degradation Continues, respiratory diseases will increase manifold among city residents.
Sources at the Department of Environment, Chittagong said the pollution is very high in a few jam-packed places of the city including Bahaddarhat crossing, GEC crossing, New Market, Agrabad, Chawkbazar and Andarkillah.
Residents of Bahaddarhat and Chawk Bazar areas alleged that the situation worsen at night as wielding operators start their generators which create sound and noise much beyond the tolerable limit.
Continuous sounds of generators in different apartments and motorised vehicles make the environment a mere hell, alleged some residents of Khulshi area who live around. They tried to draw attention of the authorities concerned repeatedly, but in vain.
“If my mother calls me loudly from next room, I don’t hear her because of the sound, created by generator of a nearby residential flat and wielding factory,” said Jasmin Akter, an SSC examinee living in the city’s Katalgonj area. “I usually study at night but I find it very difficult to continue my studies for the noise,” Nurul Alam, a teacher of Muradpur area, said.
“It is very hard to sleep, my kids often get up being frightened and start crying hearing the sound of heavy vehicles,” he added.
Talking to BSS, ENT specialist Dr Abdus Sattar said continuous sound pollution may totally deafen the children as well as the adults. “A noisy environment can affect children physically and psychologically,” Dr Abdus Sattar, added.
According to the government guidelines, wielding and lead machines and iron factories must be set up at least one kilometer away from residences and power generators must be set up underground.
It is alleged that factory and wielding workshop owners and developers of the residential flats pay no heed to the complaints regarding the situation.
Over 32,000 unfit light and heavy vehicles have been plying the roads of Chittagong division without fitness certificates, which emit black smokes, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Chittagong office sources said.
The BRTA sources added they send data of those unfit vehicles every six months to the traffic department in the city and district for checking the vehicles and controlling the emission of black smokes.
Talking to BSS on condition of anonymity, an officer of BRTA said they issue notice regularly to the defaulting vehicle owners for renovating their respective vehicles, renewing certificates and paying road taxes.
Though BRTA officials claimed they continue to conduct drives against the unfit vehicles with the help of Chittagong district administration, traffic department, and metropolitan and district police, the situation has remained unchanged for unknown reasons.
