Turag and Bangsai Rivers, once mighty streams, are losing their navigability due to the toxic waste of industries and factories in Gazipur district’s Kaliakair Upazila. The river water is dying day by day with black toxic waste. There is no effective initiative of the concerned department to protect the river.
The drains of the factory's chemical-laden water are merging into the two rivers. Water mixed with toxic chemicals in the river also kills native fish. In this way, if the chemical water of the factory gets mixed in the river, water of the rivers get contaminated with heavy toxic element. In addition, the risk of using river water is increasing. In addition to the navigability of the river, there has been a severe environmental disaster. Residents on both sides of the river will face extreme threat if immediate action is not taken.
It can be seen from the investigation of Banshai and Turag rivers that the waste and chemical water of the factories is directly falling into Turag from some points including Baraibari, Rbodghar of the upazila. Also, the waste water of hundreds of factories in the upazila is mixed in the rivers. There is no way to understand, these two rivers were once flowing. At that time, there was a close relationship with the fishermen and the fishermen lived on the banks of the river. But now that river of fishermen is lost to pollution and encroachment.
The scene of fishing in the river is not easy to see now. With the passage of time, the resources of the river and the delicious local species of fish have been lost. Now children cannot swim freely in the river. Farmers are unable to use river water to irrigate their crops. Animals and birds are dying due to various diseases after drinking dirty water. As a result of using rotten water, people living near the river are suffering from various water-borne diseases including itching.
Still, the villages on the banks of the rivers of Kaliakair do not have a good communication system, so students are seen crossing the river by boat. All these students complain that the toxic smell of the factory in the river causes vomiting, headache and stomach ache. It has become very difficult to live on the banks of the river.
Due to waste and encroachment, the river is flooded and navigability is threatened today. Illegally, the influential people are occupying the banks of the river and building structures on both banks. However, the locals complained that the factory authorities dumped the waste directly into the river without treatment, and the flow of the river is now almost dead. But once upon a time, the industrial trade of the Ashulia-side region of Dhaka along with the capital was transported through this river. Even in the 90s, two rivers were full of current. At that time, boats, launches and steamers ran along the river. But today the two rivers have turned into canals. Not only this, also the toxic water of the factory falls into various canals, beehives, drains, cultivated and uncultivated land. It is polluting the environment. On the other hand, cropland is losing its fertility day by day.
On the other hand, Turag and Bangsai rivers are being taken over by usurpers. Big buildings are being built. The exact course of the river is being lost. Turag and Bangsai rivers are getting smaller. No intervention of the administration is working. If the dominant forces are not stopped now, the environmentalists fear that the course of the two rivers will be lost. Moreover, the work of digging the river has not been going on for many years. The riverside land has been occupied anonymously. Plots, farms, houses, buildings, shops, mosques, madrasas, etc. are being built in the riverbed.
Tutul, Shakeel, Mamun, Afaz Uddin said, there are more than 300 small and big factories in Kaliakair. Government should give notice to these factories and ask them to maintain ETP. If that doesn't work, go to hard work. At any cost we have to keep the water of this river pollution free.
If the influential people including the owners of these factories are not stopped, there is a fear that the two rivers will disappear.
They demanded that necessary measures be taken from the government and the relevant authorities to keep the river water free from pollution and protect it.
Farmer Lalon said, earlier we used to cultivate with river water. Now if you cultivate with this water, the crops die. This water is very poisonous. If this water were good, we would not have water problems.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tajwar Akram Sakapi Ibn Sajjad said that all the factories do not have ETP. All those factories will be raided. Besides, we will carry out the campaign through the list that we have through the Department of Environment. In addition, we will take action from the office in the district council to take up a respectable program.
