Sylhet Bureau :
The Surma River, flowing through the Sylhet city, is getting alarmingly polluted due to indiscriminate dumping of waste by the people in general.
Small traders, wholesalers and others in the large markets of the divisional city are causing most of the pollution.
At least 20 places on the riverbank in the city have been turned into dumping grounds by the townspeople.
Among them are prominent Kazirbazar, Kalighat, Beterbazar and Kanishail where the city’s wholesale fish and grocery markets are located.
Dumpling of garbage makes the entire area unwholesome with bad odours spreading all the time. Director of the Department of Environment Md Emran Hossain said, “We have launched severs drives and cleaned the Surma River at Kazirbazar and neighbouring places.
But, things have gone worse from bad within several days. It’s not possible for us to launch cleanliness drive again soon.”
He also said, “The city corporation as well as the market bodies should look into the issue.
Especially the traders and other stakeholders should be aware of environmental effects and they should keep the atmosphere wholesome by stopping pollution of the river.”
During a recent visit to the area, it was found that a three kilometre area from the city’s Masimpur to Kanoshail has been polluted with heaps of waste being piled up at 15 points.
Especially, wastes from fish, fruit and vegetable markets have turned the area unlivable with bad odours coming out all the time.
Banana plant buckles, nut and coconut covers, clinical waste, used plastic sacks, plastic bottles etc alongside hotel-restaurants waste are dumped indiscriminately, causing much pollution for the riverbank people as well as for the whole area.
The worst-polluted places include Masimpur, Jhalopara, Chandnighat, Kazirbazar, Sheikhghat and Kalighat. Due to waste dumping, water of the Surma River in some places has turned blackish while silt has accumulated somewhere.
Some city-dwellers like Abdul Hasib of Kalighat area said severe odour spreads always at many places on the riverbank. Stray dogs and cats often move around while mosquito menace is also there.
Due to absence of the city corporation’s regular drives, locals have to suffer a lot.
They have to live in such an odd situation, he added.