Chittagong Bureau :
The Department of Environment (DoE) in Chittagong was blamed for inaction against hill cutting, air pollution and discharging of chemicals from industries..
The DoE conducted maximum raids last year against the polythene bag. But, the major issues of environment including hill cutting, air pollution and discharging of chemicals from industries, saving the rivers etc are were avoided without showing any apparent reasons.
Sources said, the DoE conducted 141 raids in last 14 months from January 2016 to February 2017. Of the raids, 49 were against polythene bags, 23 raids against industries which did not take No Objection Certificate (NOC) from DoE, 12 against filling of ponds and cannels, 11 against air pollution, only 5 against hill cutting.
The DoE did not conduct any raids against the pollution of environment at Sitakunda ship breaking yards which is one of the major causes of destroying environment in Chittagong. Sources said, during the raids against polyethylene bags in last 14 months, the DoE seized a total of 45 MT polyethylene bags and fined Tk 35 lakh. Besides, the DoE also filed case against 164 persons for polluting environment during the raids.
According to sources, over all natural environment of the port city is under threat due to pollution, rampant hill cutting, tree cutting and absence of drainage and sewerage system and discharging of clinical, industrial and household wastage everywhere.
Sources said, water of Bay of Bengal in the Chittagong port channel is rampantly polluted by discharging of oil, wastage and other chemicals from ships. Besides, water of river Karnaphuli at the river mouth area is being polluted for the same reason.
Besides, oil and poisonous chemicals have rampantly discharged in to the water of river Karnaphuli causing the pollution of the water of the river. The industries that situated on the banks of the river discharged the poisonous chemicals and wastage into the water of Karnaphuli while the ships and tankers used to discharge oil.
Sources said, violating the Port Ordinance and Inland and Merchant Ordinance, many cargo and container ships and oil tankers spilt oil in the water of Bay of Bengal and river Karnaphuli regularly. Earlier, the magistrate of CPA conducted drives against the pollution in 2007.
According to the sources, hill cutting is rampant in Chittagong. Some dishonest people of seven categories including political influential, local goons and administrative persons are involved like a chained syndicate in the rampant hill cutting in the port city resulting in serious ecological imbalance and environmental disaster.
Sources said, massive hill cutting by influential individuals or organizations both from public and private sectors for commercial and non-commercial purposes had been continuing and took a serious turn in recent years in the city and district which threatens environment, natural beauty and bio-diversity of this region having wonderful geographical uniqueness. The rampant hill cutting in the port city Chittagong is the prime cause of the landslide here. The incidents of landslide occurred particularly in the rainy season.
Despite of the law of the government against hill cutting in Chittagong most of the hills are already been cut during last several years. The worst suffering areas to the unabated hill cutting are Khulshi, Panchlaish, Sholoshahar, Baizid Bostami, Foy’s Lake, Lalkhan Bazar, Oxygen Intersection and Polytechnic area, sources said. Besides, hill cutting is continuing at Banshkhali, Hathazari, Fatikchari and other hilly upazilas in the district.
The miscreants cut hill for selling soil and trees. The law enforcing agencies, Environment Department and Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) are taking measures to stop the hill cutting and nab the criminals who are involved with hill cutting.
On the other hand, around 50 lakh city dwellers used to threw their household wastages at here and there and into the cannels and drains of the city due to the lack of sewerage and drainage system. The three important canals Nasir Khal, Bohadder Hat Khal, Hijra Khal were fully damaged due to mud and pollution earlier.
The Department of Environment (DoE) in Chittagong was blamed for inaction against hill cutting, air pollution and discharging of chemicals from industries..
The DoE conducted maximum raids last year against the polythene bag. But, the major issues of environment including hill cutting, air pollution and discharging of chemicals from industries, saving the rivers etc are were avoided without showing any apparent reasons.
Sources said, the DoE conducted 141 raids in last 14 months from January 2016 to February 2017. Of the raids, 49 were against polythene bags, 23 raids against industries which did not take No Objection Certificate (NOC) from DoE, 12 against filling of ponds and cannels, 11 against air pollution, only 5 against hill cutting.
The DoE did not conduct any raids against the pollution of environment at Sitakunda ship breaking yards which is one of the major causes of destroying environment in Chittagong. Sources said, during the raids against polyethylene bags in last 14 months, the DoE seized a total of 45 MT polyethylene bags and fined Tk 35 lakh. Besides, the DoE also filed case against 164 persons for polluting environment during the raids.
According to sources, over all natural environment of the port city is under threat due to pollution, rampant hill cutting, tree cutting and absence of drainage and sewerage system and discharging of clinical, industrial and household wastage everywhere.
Sources said, water of Bay of Bengal in the Chittagong port channel is rampantly polluted by discharging of oil, wastage and other chemicals from ships. Besides, water of river Karnaphuli at the river mouth area is being polluted for the same reason.
Besides, oil and poisonous chemicals have rampantly discharged in to the water of river Karnaphuli causing the pollution of the water of the river. The industries that situated on the banks of the river discharged the poisonous chemicals and wastage into the water of Karnaphuli while the ships and tankers used to discharge oil.
Sources said, violating the Port Ordinance and Inland and Merchant Ordinance, many cargo and container ships and oil tankers spilt oil in the water of Bay of Bengal and river Karnaphuli regularly. Earlier, the magistrate of CPA conducted drives against the pollution in 2007.
According to the sources, hill cutting is rampant in Chittagong. Some dishonest people of seven categories including political influential, local goons and administrative persons are involved like a chained syndicate in the rampant hill cutting in the port city resulting in serious ecological imbalance and environmental disaster.
Sources said, massive hill cutting by influential individuals or organizations both from public and private sectors for commercial and non-commercial purposes had been continuing and took a serious turn in recent years in the city and district which threatens environment, natural beauty and bio-diversity of this region having wonderful geographical uniqueness. The rampant hill cutting in the port city Chittagong is the prime cause of the landslide here. The incidents of landslide occurred particularly in the rainy season.
Despite of the law of the government against hill cutting in Chittagong most of the hills are already been cut during last several years. The worst suffering areas to the unabated hill cutting are Khulshi, Panchlaish, Sholoshahar, Baizid Bostami, Foy’s Lake, Lalkhan Bazar, Oxygen Intersection and Polytechnic area, sources said. Besides, hill cutting is continuing at Banshkhali, Hathazari, Fatikchari and other hilly upazilas in the district.
The miscreants cut hill for selling soil and trees. The law enforcing agencies, Environment Department and Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) are taking measures to stop the hill cutting and nab the criminals who are involved with hill cutting.
On the other hand, around 50 lakh city dwellers used to threw their household wastages at here and there and into the cannels and drains of the city due to the lack of sewerage and drainage system. The three important canals Nasir Khal, Bohadder Hat Khal, Hijra Khal were fully damaged due to mud and pollution earlier.
