DEPARTMENT of Environment has revealed that waste from a housing estate and some factories are polluting the Halda river in Chattogram to the extent that it caused dying of fish. Currently, the pollution of the Halda is severely affecting the livelihood of adjacent people, in particular the fishermen.
In June last year, a huge quantity of fish and aquatic animals were found dead in the Halda river mainly due to low level of dissolved oxygen and exceedingly high level of ammonia which contaminated the river water, according to Halda River Protection Committee. After the incident, the DoE had launched an investigation and found Anannya Housing Estate, Abul Khair Consumer Goods, KDS Textile Mills Ltd, Madina Tannery and Hathazari 100MW Peaking Power Plant directly responsible for the pollution, the newspapers reported.
DoE report further mentioned that, Abul Khair Consumer Goods and KDS Textile in Bayazid area were polluting the river by dumping effluents into the Khondokia canal through drains. The Khondokia canal is the most polluted among the 18 canals connected to the Halda. Besides, effluents from the Hathazari 100MW Peaking Power Plant is causing dissolved oxygen to fall. Even, the Madari canal nearby was also found heavily polluted by industrial waste.
At least 20 species of fish and aquatic animals, including two species of prawn, were found floating in the river due to massive industrial pollution. A large number of fishes such as catfish or carp that lives in deep water were found dead on June 21 and 22 last year, floating on the river.
Polluting the rivers by dumping industrial and other waste is nothing new. Most of the country’s rivers, including Buriganga and Karnaphuli, have been facing the same problem for a long time. In the case of Halda river, the probe committee directly points out the causes of the disaster and ways to restore the river from man-made pollutions..
Halda needs special attention as it’s the country’s only river from where naturally laid carp eggs are collected for hatching. We must say the government cannot sit idle while this level of damage is carried out by some influential men right under their nose violating the existing law.
In June last year, a huge quantity of fish and aquatic animals were found dead in the Halda river mainly due to low level of dissolved oxygen and exceedingly high level of ammonia which contaminated the river water, according to Halda River Protection Committee. After the incident, the DoE had launched an investigation and found Anannya Housing Estate, Abul Khair Consumer Goods, KDS Textile Mills Ltd, Madina Tannery and Hathazari 100MW Peaking Power Plant directly responsible for the pollution, the newspapers reported.
DoE report further mentioned that, Abul Khair Consumer Goods and KDS Textile in Bayazid area were polluting the river by dumping effluents into the Khondokia canal through drains. The Khondokia canal is the most polluted among the 18 canals connected to the Halda. Besides, effluents from the Hathazari 100MW Peaking Power Plant is causing dissolved oxygen to fall. Even, the Madari canal nearby was also found heavily polluted by industrial waste.
At least 20 species of fish and aquatic animals, including two species of prawn, were found floating in the river due to massive industrial pollution. A large number of fishes such as catfish or carp that lives in deep water were found dead on June 21 and 22 last year, floating on the river.
Polluting the rivers by dumping industrial and other waste is nothing new. Most of the country’s rivers, including Buriganga and Karnaphuli, have been facing the same problem for a long time. In the case of Halda river, the probe committee directly points out the causes of the disaster and ways to restore the river from man-made pollutions..
Halda needs special attention as it’s the country’s only river from where naturally laid carp eggs are collected for hatching. We must say the government cannot sit idle while this level of damage is carried out by some influential men right under their nose violating the existing law.
