Mirzapur (Tangail) Correspondent :
Polluted chemicals and rotten garbage from industrial factories have been dumped into rivers, canals and sink drains, blocking the flow of water and threatening the environment and biodiversity of the area.
Rivers, canals and bill water are getting polluted and dying fish, plants and crops are suffering huge loss. Biodiversity of the area around the industrial area of the upazila is also under threat. As a result of the pollution of rivers and canals due to unplanned industrial factories, vegetable and fruit gardens and various species of trees are dying. Today Tuesday (June 25) it has been found that the environment is extremely threatened due to dumping of contaminated waste from factories in canals, rivers, lakes and ponds.
Research has revealed that since the Gogai area of Mirzapur Upazila in Tangail district is hilly and high, half a hundred small, large and medium industries have been built around the Dhaka-Tangail highway after the 90s. The victims of the area alleged that most of these industries were built in an unplanned manner with the connivance of an influential group to fill the government canal bill of the area.
It is alleged that the influential mahals have created the opportunity to build these factories in Gokai area by making a syndicate with the owners of industrial factories and grabbing crores of rupees. If any helpless family tries to stop these unethical activities, the gang divides the work by threatening them with attacks and lawsuits. Now the local residents are in trouble.
It has been found that Bengal NKF Industries in Deohata area of the upazila adjacent to Dhaka-Tangail highway, Nasir Group of Industries, a large industrial company in Kodalia area, Mondal Group in Sohagpur area, Kashem Driesel Industries, Tangail Cotton Mills, Saith East Textiles Mills Ltd. in Hatuvanga area.
Nahid Cotton Mills, Yut Spinning Spinning Mills Ltd. Comfit Composite Neet Ltd. Uttara Spinning Mills Ltd. Uttara Cycle Mat Industries, Nutecr Group of Industries, Meghna Group of Industries in Syedpur area, Mats Hechari, Shirin Spinning Mills Ltd. Half a hundred mills including Khan Garments, RFL Plastic Industries, Square Pharmaceuticals have been established in Rajabari area. Most of these mills except two have no water treatment (wastewater treatment plant).
As a result, at least 30 men and women who live in the industrial area have complained that the environment is now under serious threat due to the dumping of factory waste in canals, rivers, roadsides and ponds. Especially in the Sohagpara area of Gogai industrial area, 6-7 canals including Sohagpara-Kodalia-Rahimpur canal, Sohagpara-Kalimajani canal, Rajabari-Bagabari canal, Hatuvanga-Syedpur canal, Syedpur-Palpara canal have been filled due to dumping of factory waste. Besides, because the waste of the factory is dumped in the Bangsai river, the fish are dying and the water is turning black. Among the victims, Babul Sikder, lecturer Nurul Islam Nuru, businessman Shamim Hossain and 20 people have complained that living in Eraka is becoming bad due to the rotten smell of garbage.
They alleged that there is a government directive to set up ETP plants in every industrial plant to protect the environment of the area. In the industrial area of Mirzapur upazila, most of the factories are dumping polluted waste into the rivers and canals without implementing the government directives. On the one hand, the environment of the area is getting polluted due to the pollution of garbage and the biodiversity of the area is under threat. Apart from this, polluted garbage mixed with the water of canals and rivers, various species of fish including Boal, Shail, Catal, Mrigel, Shing, Tengra, Magur, Tilapia, Sarputi, Papata, Chital are dying.
In this regard, Gautam Chand, the divisional coordinator of the environmentalist organization Bela, said that most of the factories in the industrial areas are dumping the contaminated waste into canals and rivers in an unplanned manner without treatment. As the water has become polluted, the fishes have died, and the biodiversity of the area has also been threatened due to the loss of the balance of the environment. He mentioned that quick measures will be taken in consultation with the administration.
Deputy Director of Tangail District Environment Department Zamir Uddin said that action will be taken against those who are polluting the water by dumping the factory waste in rivers and canals to destroy the balance of the environment, destroy aquatic animals and biodiversity. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sheikh Nurul Alam and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Masudur Rahman said that they have come to know that the environment of the area is under serious threat due to the discharge of waste from most of the factories in the industrial area into rivers and canals. Factory owners have no chance to pollute the water by dumping their factory waste into canals. Legal measures will be taken subject to investigation so that waste from industrial factories or various institutions is not dumped and pollutes water and environment.