UNB, Bagerhat :
As authorities are yet to destroy the huge amount of oil-stained wastes, dumped in bamboo enclosures in Chandpai area of the Sundarbans following the huge oil-spill in December last year, experts and locals raise concerns that the wastes can be washed out again into the environment with rainfalls anytime.
The remnants of furnace oil in wastes, which consist mostly of oil-stained water hyacinth and shrubs, have already taken a dark hue and started seeping into the soil around the bamboo enclosures.
During a visit to Chandpai range of the Sundarbans East Zone on January 25, the UNB correspondent found out that the six enclosures built in the area to contain the oil-stained wastes are lying in close proximity with the main channel of the Shela River with no sign of maintenance.
Local people also raised concerns that the wastes could be washed away again into
the environment if only a moderate shower takes place. Anwar Hossain, a resident of the area, said, “We had dumped the oil-stained water hyacinths and shrubs into the bamboo enclosures after collecting those from the affected areas. The wastes contained so much oil that now the oil is seeping into the soil around the enclosure.”
Talking to UNB, divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Forest Department Amir Hossain Chowdhury said about 20 tonnes of wastes have been dumped in the six bamboo enclosures and the department has decided to burn all those to ashes as per experts’ recommendation.
The wastes will be taken to a nearby brick kiln very soon for completing the process, he added.
Prof Dr Mahmud Hossain of the Forestry and Wood Technology of Khulna University stressed destroying the oil-stained wastes as quick as possible to avert another disaster in the area.
“If it takes time, the wastes can be washed away by a shower and engender the flora and fauna of the forest,” he said.
Meanwhile, marks of furnace oil are still visible on tree trunks over a vast area lying on both sides of the river.
The oil slicks that managed to rise as high as 20-30 feet above the forest ground due to the tidal waves tainted a great portion of the tree trunks at that height and have created thick black coatings.
As authorities are yet to destroy the huge amount of oil-stained wastes, dumped in bamboo enclosures in Chandpai area of the Sundarbans following the huge oil-spill in December last year, experts and locals raise concerns that the wastes can be washed out again into the environment with rainfalls anytime.
The remnants of furnace oil in wastes, which consist mostly of oil-stained water hyacinth and shrubs, have already taken a dark hue and started seeping into the soil around the bamboo enclosures.
During a visit to Chandpai range of the Sundarbans East Zone on January 25, the UNB correspondent found out that the six enclosures built in the area to contain the oil-stained wastes are lying in close proximity with the main channel of the Shela River with no sign of maintenance.
Local people also raised concerns that the wastes could be washed away again into
the environment if only a moderate shower takes place. Anwar Hossain, a resident of the area, said, “We had dumped the oil-stained water hyacinths and shrubs into the bamboo enclosures after collecting those from the affected areas. The wastes contained so much oil that now the oil is seeping into the soil around the enclosure.”
Talking to UNB, divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Forest Department Amir Hossain Chowdhury said about 20 tonnes of wastes have been dumped in the six bamboo enclosures and the department has decided to burn all those to ashes as per experts’ recommendation.
The wastes will be taken to a nearby brick kiln very soon for completing the process, he added.
Prof Dr Mahmud Hossain of the Forestry and Wood Technology of Khulna University stressed destroying the oil-stained wastes as quick as possible to avert another disaster in the area.
“If it takes time, the wastes can be washed away by a shower and engender the flora and fauna of the forest,” he said.
Meanwhile, marks of furnace oil are still visible on tree trunks over a vast area lying on both sides of the river.
The oil slicks that managed to rise as high as 20-30 feet above the forest ground due to the tidal waves tainted a great portion of the tree trunks at that height and have created thick black coatings.
