Untreated waste pollutes water, cropland; threatens public health in Rajshahi
Due to the lack of a sewage system, the liquid waste produced from households, hotels, restaurants, public and private institutions and industrial factories is discharged into the River Barnai through the drains
Untreated toxic industrial waste is polluting the environment in Rajshahi city and its surrounding areas, posing a serious threat to public health.
As per data provided by Rajshahi City Corporation, 450 tonnes of dry waste are produced daily in the summer season from households, markets, hotels and restaurants, public and private institutions and roads. The amount of waste is measured at 350 tonnes in the winter season.
The waste is collected at 28 points in the city, and dumped by trucks in Paba upazila, on the outskirts of the city, without any treatment. Consequently, during the monsoon, the waste is washed away and falls directly on the agricultural land and the River Barnai.
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Due to the lack of a sewage system, the liquid waste produced from households, hotels, restaurants, public and private institutions and industrial factories is discharged into the River Barnai through the drains.
Also, during the monsoon, the water from the drains gets mixed with the agricultural land, affecting the land as well as the biodiversity of the river.
Mozaffar Hossain, a teacher of Durgapur Horirampur School and College, said, "The Biodiversity of the River Barnai has been completely destroyed by toxic effluents of the city corporation. Now there are no fish in the river."
Prof Mizanur Rahman of Geography and Environmental Science Department of Rajshahi University, tested five types of industrial effluents with 22 parameters, and found that the effluents emitted by industrial factories are highly polluted.
He also tested the drain water, and the soil of the agricultural land adjacent to the River Barnai, and found the existence of heavy metal content.
Prof Mizanur said that the waste of 200 industries in BCIC should be treated through an effluent treatment plant (ETP).
"The soil samples were collected and sent to the laboratory of the Soil Resource Development Institute in Dhaka. After testing, severe presence of heavy metals such as zinc, copper, iron, manganese, chromium, cadmium and lead were found in the soil," he said.
The crops produced in the soil are also contaminated, posing a health risk for city dwellers, added Prof Mizanur.
On behalf of The Business Standard, samples of drain water and soil from agricultural land in South Nowdapara of Rajshahi city were collected, and sent to the Rajshahi centre of the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for testing.
The level of water pH was found to be 6.89, conductivity 1,270, dissolved oxygen level 1.20, calcium carbonate 325, alkalinity 518, fluoride 1.92, chloride 84.83, nitrate 1.95, and sulphate at 4.9 – exceeding the normal level of all components.
Besides, the level of soil pH was found to be 7.68 out of 10, conductivity 250 out of 570, dissolved solids 110 out of 500, calcium carbonate 700 out of 3,000, alkalinity 50 out of 7, fluoride 0.25 out of 400, and chloride 11.75 in place of 0.59, among other components.
Analysing the results, Prof Redwanur Rahman of Rajshahi University's Institute of Environmental Science said that there is an abnormal decrease and increase in basic elements in the water. It has turned into a liquid poison, posing a serious threat to the community.
He added that the condition of the soil in Nowdapara is even worse. Pollution enters the food chain and can cause cancer.
Rajshahi City Corporation's Chief Cleaning Officer Sheikh Md Mamun said that modern drainage management has already been developed in the city corporation area in three phases through a master plan.
Now, efforts are being made to provide fresh water to farmers by refining liquid waste through water waste management. Also, medical waste is incinerated through ETP before dumping.
He added that an integrated waste management plan has been undertaken by the local government and the engineering department to turn dry waste into a resource through ETP.
"A Tk1,500 crore project plan by the city corporation has been proposed to the government to turn waste into resources through management."
Mentioning that a plan has been undertaken with the help of Unicef for sanitation, Mamun added, "If the projects are implemented within the next year, the city corporation will become a modern waste management city."
Rajshahi Wasa Managing Director Md Zakir Hossain said that they are planning to work on the city's sewerage system.
