Canal reeling from decade-long pollution
Yet another canal, already a dying breed, is on the verge of extinction due to rampant pollution, and we are concerned that the rest of our water bodies will meet the same fate if the relevant authorities keep brushing aside this perennial problem. Connected to Karnaphuli and Sangu rivers, the Shikalbaha canal in south Chattogram has been enduring mountains of waste from hundreds of dairy farms for well over a decade, as reported by this daily. Even though such actions are punishable under the Environment Conservation Act, the administration has done very little to stop this damage.
About 600 farms in the area are rearing 25,000 head of cattle, and every day, 3,000 tonnes of dung and two lakh litres of urine are produced, a large part of which directly flows into Shikalbaha through pipes and drains, and eventually into the two rivers. The farms point to the absence of waste treatment plants for their actions—only 50 of the establishments have this facility. The question is: is this a good enough excuse to destroy a canal that bears the brunt of monsoon and facilitates irrigation?
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. From Shyamasundari and Karikapara canals in Rangpur and Khulna to the Buriganga River, our water bodies have been reeling from unchecked pollution, encroachment, and "development." When it comes to pollution, there are even incidents of the authorities themselves dumping waste into canals, ponds and rivers.
Whenever officials are confronted about such matters, they have a set of responses. They may claim ignorance of long-standing pollution, point to shortage of resources, as is the case with Shikalbaha, or simply state that they are looking into the issue. Such repeated responses will surely push our water bodies even closer to their demise.
So, are our canals destined for death? No—that is, if the authorities have their priorities straight. Recently, we have seen how a cartoonist, with the help of volunteers, organisations and officials, cleaned up a heavily-polluted canal in Dhaka's Mohammadpur in just two days, proving that what we are lacking is initiative.
Aside from regular cleanups and maintenance, we need robust strategies. Waste treatment plants are a must-have to prevent establishments from polluting nearby water bodies, and the authorities have to launch effective behavioural change campaigns so that people are well aware of the dire ramifications of dumping waste into canals and ponds. With such initiatives, alongside proper enforcement of the laws, we can hope that our canals will once again flow freely.
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