Existing water bodies especially the Baranai River flowing through the northern part of the city is being heavily polluted and contaminated with disposal of wastes and toxic chemicals, scientists and researchers here said.
The crop fields surrounding the river are also being contaminated with wastes and the farmers using the river water for irrigation and the fishermen catching fish from the river are also facing health hazards like dermatitis and derma-toxicity. The fish resources of the river are also being destroyed for the toxic water of the river.
Environment specialists in the city, however, opined that contamination of the river water can be checked through setting up water treatment plant and strict imposition of the Environment Preservation Law.
According to sources, a large number of people from various rural areas are rushing to Rajshahi city for various purposes including seeking jobs and working in the city cottage and small industries.
At the same time, the multistoried buildings, small industrial units, hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres are also increasing in number in the city. From these sources as well as from Rajshahi Medical College Hospital a huge amount of toxic wastes is being disposed to nearby rivers through drains of Rajshahi City Corporation.
Moreover, untreated toxic effluent from the BSCIC industrial units and textile industries are also pouring through the city drains into the river Baranai.
Dr Redwanur Rahman, Associate Professor of Institute of Environmental Science of Rajshahi University, said there being no treatment plant for the wastes, the water of the surrounding city rivers is being contaminated.
From various drains and canals, all the contaminated wastes of the city are being disposed into the Baranai river through Jhujkai and Duari canals. Because of disposal of the toxic wastes, the Baranai River and the surrounding water bodies are becoming fishless.
Moreover, fishermen and farmers who are using the river water for various purposes are also suffering from various types of dermatitis. At the same time, the contaminated water is also increasing toxicity in soil, crops and fishes.
Professor Dr Abul Bashar, a renowned water resource expert, informed the intensity of water contamination depends on the amount of the flowing water. Moreover, if the contaminated water is mixed with arsenic, it would also enter human body through crops and vegetables.
He further said, if the wastes of medical clinics directly pour into the river through drains, the water would pose grave threat for public health.
He said medical wastes are needed to be treated primarily by keeping those 6 to 8 hours in treatment plants and thus the water should be disposed off the drains.
Prof Basher mentioned in all developed countries, such treatment plants have been set up but there was no such plant in Rajshahi. Moreover, he said, the contamination can also be reduced by disposing the toxic wastes into the mainstream of the river Padma.
Mijanur Rahman, Deputy Director (in charge) of the Department of Environment, informed the DoE has repeatedly served notices to the owners of BSCIC factories to set up waste treatment plants but they did not pay heed to the notice on the plea of financial constraints.
He further said the city medical clinics have also been served with notices to treat the wastes and Rajshahi City Corporation has been asked to set up primary treatment plants.
