Reza Mahmud :
Huge dust covers the capital city posing a serious threat to human health as the Winter is opening its door. The people of all classes, especially the school going children, become victims of the uncontrolled dust from the air.
The city dwellers are yet to get any effective steps from the concern authorities to get rid of dust, although the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) claimed that it has already taken water-spraying programme in this regard.
But the residents alleged that the water-spraying is not sufficient in most of the areas.
On the other hand, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is doing almost nothing to combat the dust.
The ecologists and the physicians expressed anxiety over the situation. They warned dire consequences if dust from the city’s air is not controlled.
“We are sufferings seriously from uncontrolled dusts in the air whenever left the home on our way to school. It seriously hampers our health. One of my siblings and some of my classmates are already infected by flue. All these are only for huge dusts in the air. The authority should do something to restrain it,” said Tahmid Abdullah, a student from Rampura area in the city on Thursday.
The students from Jatrabari area also expressed the same anxiety. Most of the students in Dhaka South and North areas are found using masks to prevent dust to enter body with breath.
“It is totally unbearable that the dust situation is making the environment vulnerable, specially for our children. The dust is increasing in the air. I bought masks for my school going children and for myself. But it is not enough. The flue is already spreading in my areas, though most of the persons are using masks in time of outdoor movement,” said Suman Biswas, a resident of Mirpur area in the city.
When contacted, MA Matin, the General Secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA), said, “We are in the edge of serious consequences for the uncontrolled dusts and other pollutions of the air. We have seen the dire situation of polluted air in the India’s capital New Delhi in current days. The most of the schools in that city had suspended their classes due to the over polluted air. We must not want such a situation in our city. So, we need protection. We need to take measures to prevent that.”
The environmentalists also said the back dated technologies of bricks production in surrounding areas of the capital is a major cause of air pollutions here. At the same time, the old systems of combating air pollutions are also liable for the increasing dusts and other stuffs in the air.
The residents also blamed unending road diggings in the city for the huge dusts in the air. They alleged that the road digging is found round the year.
“Whenever the WASA completed its work after weeklong digging, the City Corporation or other agencies start digging in the same or nearby areas. All of those development works are creating and spreading dusts into the air. The authorities should do their jobs in the same time and a single digging by coordination,” said Asif Shahriar, an engineer from Badda.
He said, “There are huge development works we found round the year in the roads in Badda-Rampura area. In the rainy season, the citizens in the areas had to suffer from mud and muddy water. And nowadays, when the winter is coming, they are facing air pollution with huge dusts.”
The tea stalls and restaurants on those areas are near to close because the customers avoiding to take drinks and foods from there due to huge dusts.
The same thing found in most of other areas in the city, including Jurain, Dayaganj, Wari, Syedabad, Rayerbagh, Gulistan, Bangshal, Nayabazar, Bangabazar, Mugda, Manda, Tikatuli, Kakrail, Karwanbazar, Tejgaon, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Jigatola, Mouchak, Moghbazar, Mohakhali, Gabtoli, Uttara, Kuril Biswaroad and in other areas.
Atikul Islam, a shopkeeper from Malibagh intersection, said the products from his shop are covered with huge dusts. He said that he and other shopkeepers of the area were involved in an endless fight with dusts.
“We become tired to wipe packages of our selling items every moment. The brightness of some of our products decreasing fast which make us loser,” he said.
Dr. Mokhlesuzzaman Hero, Deputy Director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Hospital expressed anxiety over the prevailing dust situation.
He said, a huge number of patients are sufferings from respiratory problems, tuberculosis, asthma, eye problems, bronchitis, colds, coughs, and lung cancer. One of the reasons is the dust and air pollution. In this situation, the city residents are in a serious health risk, he added.
When contacted, Khan Mohammad Bilal, Chief Executive Officer of DSCC, said his corporation is spraying water twice a day in the city roads. The programme will be continued till May next.
Replying to a query, he said, if any residents alleged that the employees have not sprayed water in his area we must take action against them.
But Mesbahul Islam, Chief Executive Officer of DNCC said, “We have only few vehicles to be available to spray water. Some of our vehicles involved spraying water only in the areas where the development work is ongoing.”
Huge dust covers the capital city posing a serious threat to human health as the Winter is opening its door. The people of all classes, especially the school going children, become victims of the uncontrolled dust from the air.
The city dwellers are yet to get any effective steps from the concern authorities to get rid of dust, although the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) claimed that it has already taken water-spraying programme in this regard.
But the residents alleged that the water-spraying is not sufficient in most of the areas.
On the other hand, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is doing almost nothing to combat the dust.
The ecologists and the physicians expressed anxiety over the situation. They warned dire consequences if dust from the city’s air is not controlled.
“We are sufferings seriously from uncontrolled dusts in the air whenever left the home on our way to school. It seriously hampers our health. One of my siblings and some of my classmates are already infected by flue. All these are only for huge dusts in the air. The authority should do something to restrain it,” said Tahmid Abdullah, a student from Rampura area in the city on Thursday.
The students from Jatrabari area also expressed the same anxiety. Most of the students in Dhaka South and North areas are found using masks to prevent dust to enter body with breath.
“It is totally unbearable that the dust situation is making the environment vulnerable, specially for our children. The dust is increasing in the air. I bought masks for my school going children and for myself. But it is not enough. The flue is already spreading in my areas, though most of the persons are using masks in time of outdoor movement,” said Suman Biswas, a resident of Mirpur area in the city.
When contacted, MA Matin, the General Secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA), said, “We are in the edge of serious consequences for the uncontrolled dusts and other pollutions of the air. We have seen the dire situation of polluted air in the India’s capital New Delhi in current days. The most of the schools in that city had suspended their classes due to the over polluted air. We must not want such a situation in our city. So, we need protection. We need to take measures to prevent that.”
The environmentalists also said the back dated technologies of bricks production in surrounding areas of the capital is a major cause of air pollutions here. At the same time, the old systems of combating air pollutions are also liable for the increasing dusts and other stuffs in the air.
The residents also blamed unending road diggings in the city for the huge dusts in the air. They alleged that the road digging is found round the year.
“Whenever the WASA completed its work after weeklong digging, the City Corporation or other agencies start digging in the same or nearby areas. All of those development works are creating and spreading dusts into the air. The authorities should do their jobs in the same time and a single digging by coordination,” said Asif Shahriar, an engineer from Badda.
He said, “There are huge development works we found round the year in the roads in Badda-Rampura area. In the rainy season, the citizens in the areas had to suffer from mud and muddy water. And nowadays, when the winter is coming, they are facing air pollution with huge dusts.”
The tea stalls and restaurants on those areas are near to close because the customers avoiding to take drinks and foods from there due to huge dusts.
The same thing found in most of other areas in the city, including Jurain, Dayaganj, Wari, Syedabad, Rayerbagh, Gulistan, Bangshal, Nayabazar, Bangabazar, Mugda, Manda, Tikatuli, Kakrail, Karwanbazar, Tejgaon, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Jigatola, Mouchak, Moghbazar, Mohakhali, Gabtoli, Uttara, Kuril Biswaroad and in other areas.
Atikul Islam, a shopkeeper from Malibagh intersection, said the products from his shop are covered with huge dusts. He said that he and other shopkeepers of the area were involved in an endless fight with dusts.
“We become tired to wipe packages of our selling items every moment. The brightness of some of our products decreasing fast which make us loser,” he said.
Dr. Mokhlesuzzaman Hero, Deputy Director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Hospital expressed anxiety over the prevailing dust situation.
He said, a huge number of patients are sufferings from respiratory problems, tuberculosis, asthma, eye problems, bronchitis, colds, coughs, and lung cancer. One of the reasons is the dust and air pollution. In this situation, the city residents are in a serious health risk, he added.
When contacted, Khan Mohammad Bilal, Chief Executive Officer of DSCC, said his corporation is spraying water twice a day in the city roads. The programme will be continued till May next.
Replying to a query, he said, if any residents alleged that the employees have not sprayed water in his area we must take action against them.
But Mesbahul Islam, Chief Executive Officer of DNCC said, “We have only few vehicles to be available to spray water. Some of our vehicles involved spraying water only in the areas where the development work is ongoing.”
