The Borbanga River flowing through the northern part of the Sylhet district is being heavily contaminated with posal of wastes and toxic chemicals. The crop fields surrounding the river are also being con¬taminated with wastes and the farmers using the river water for irrigation and the fisher-men catching fish from the liver are also facing health haz¬ards like dermatitis and derma- toxicity. The fish resources of the river are also being destroyed for the Rode water of the river. Environment specialists in Sylhet, 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 Sylhet district for various ptu, pos. including seeking jobs and working in the distrid cot¬tage and small industries. At the same time, the multistoried buildings, small industrial units, hospitals, clinics, diag-nostic centres are also increas¬ing in number in the district. From these sourcos as well as from Sylhet North. Medical College Hospital a huge amount of Ude wastes is being disposed to nearby rivets through drains of Sylhet city Corporation. Moreover, untreated tonic effluent from the BSCIC indus¬trial units and textile industries are also pouring through the district chains into the river Borbanga. Professor Dr Sushanto Kumar of the Institute of Environmental Science of Sylhet International University informed there being no treat¬ment plant for the wastes, the hint of the surrounding dis¬trt rivers are being contami¬nated. From various drains and canals, all the contaminat¬ed wastes of the district are being disposed into the Borbanga river through Borak and Basia rivers. Because of disposal of the toxic wastes, the Borbanga River and the surrounding water bodies are becoming &bless. 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. Deputy Director (In-charge) of the Department of Environment in Sylhet informed the DSU has repeat¬edly served notices to the own¬ers of BSCIC factories to set up waste treatment plants but they did not obey the notice on the plea of financial crisis. He further said the district medical clinics have also been served with notices to treat the wastes and Sylhet City Corporation has been asked to set up primary treatment.
