Mills toxic water spoils Raktadha Beel in Adamdighi

Waste and toxic water from 12 automatic rice mills in Santahar of Adamdighi upazila of West Bogura are flowing into Raktadha Beel through Irmati and Indail canals, polluting the water of the beels and canals.

As a result, in addition to environmental pollution, various species of fish are becoming extinct in the beel, canals and branch canals.

In addition, various aquatic plants including lotus, lotus, and saluk are almost disappearing. Due to toxic waste and polluted water from the rice mills, fish in the beel and canal are dying, their reproductive capacity is being destroyed. In addition, hundreds of fishermen families in several villages along the beel, who depend on fishing, are facing a livelihood crisis.

It is known that during the monsoon season, a large number of fish fry of various species were seen in the beel and canal, but now they are not seen much.

At one time, fish from Raktadha Beel used to meet the local demand and be exported to different districts of the country. Currently, the waste and toxic water from the 12 automatic rice mills built near Santahar town is being discharged into the canals and canals, which is killing fish in the canals and the crops of the agricultural land adjacent to the canals.

In addition to the damage to the crops of hundreds of families in the surrounding villages of Damdama, Sandira, Prasadkhali, Chhatani, Dhekra, Bodla, etc., these fishermen are having a hard time making a living because they are not able to catch fish.

Many people living on the banks of the canal have been forced to change their profession.
Several fishermen including Govinda Hawaldar, Kanu Hawaldar, Madan Hawaldar, fishermen from Prasadkhali village said that their family has been earning a living by catching fish in this canal since the time of their fathers. Currently, due to the toxic water from the rice mills entering this canal, most of the fishing families are living inhumane lives as there is no fish in the canal.

A few days ago, due to the heavy rains that filled the beel, the paddy fields near the beel were destroyed. Recently, local MP Abdul Mohit Talukder and Upazila Executive Officer Masuma Begum found out that rice mill waste and toxic water had entered the Raktadha beel and canals, polluting the water of the beel and canal. At the time, the MP assured the affected people that the problem would be solved.

In this regard, Assistant Director of the Bogra Environment Department, Mahatir Mohammad, said that if they build a rice mill, they will have to dig ponds at specific places and store the mill waste and toxic water there. There are industrial waste management guidelines in the High Court in this regard. He also said that the mill owners will have to release the toxic water of their mills into the water bodies after cooling and processing them in the ponds.

Despite all these laws and policies, there is no implementation. Even if the rice mills release the mill waste and toxic water into the beel and canal, no one will show it. However, the fishing community along the banks of the river, including the conscious community in the area, are demanding that the toxic water from the rice mills be stopped immediately in the interest of protecting the traditional blood-burning river.