Railway pond turns into a dumping zone

A pond near the Jan Ali Hat Railway Station in the port city's Chandgaon area has been turned into a dumping zone. Consequently, it has also become a safe breeding zone for mosquitoes.

The pond, covering around one thousand square feet of land, is owned by Bangladesh Railway, which was leased by the BR to a local named Mohammad Shawkat.

Mohammed Ismail, a businessman near the railway station, said, "Earlier we used the pond's water for our daily activities. There was also a variety of fish."

However, the pond is now devoid of any aquatic life and the water has a tar-like appearance and foul odour, he said.

"BR's Lands Department has leased the pond. We have instructed the lessee to clean the pond. Besides, we have asked the lessee to complain to the concerned authorities regarding the garbage dumping," said Abdus Salam, station master of Jan Ali Hat Railway Station.

Residents of the region expressed alarm and said the pond, which serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, might be the reason for the emergence of dengue and chikungunya.

According to the Chattogram Civil Surgeon office, 2,007 people were infected with dengue in November.

Mohammad Shawkat, the lessee of the pond, told The Daily Star that he has leased the pond from BR for fish farming.

"However, people are dumping garbage in the pond. I have prohibited them from doing it but to no avail," he added.

According to Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, filling in or changing the landscape of any water body recorded in the government records is a punishable offence.

However, Hillol Biswas, head of the department of environment in the Chattogram metro office, was unable to confirm any impending eviction campaign by the DoE to reclaim the canal.