Hiren Pandit: River encroachment and pollution severely threaten agriculture, communication, the environment, biodiversity, and human livelihood. The need to save rivers and water bodies cannot be overstated. Environmental and human rights organizations are saying that starting from the very top, officials at various levels of government continue to speak. But nothing is working. The court order has not made much progress. Where is the crisis? Many feel that there is a lack of determination and goodwill on the part of those concerned about encroachment polluters. The government conducted various eviction drives against illegal structures but stopped short of getting there. Rivers should be saved by keeping the national interest above all kinds of individual and group interests. There are policies and laws to save rivers. These policies and regulations must be implemented. Besides, water management should be done correctly. The river should be allowed to flow naturally.
Most of the country’s rivers, including Dhaka, are dying due to encroachment, pollution, and waste. Especially in the Shitalakshya, Turag and Buriganga around Dhaka, the aggressive hands of the settlers are running everywhere. We get similar news in the media from almost all the districts and upazilas outside Dhaka. But the biggest news is that government institutions are ahead in the competition for possession. Out of 67 major pollution mouths of Buriganga, 56 are under Dhaka WASA and BSCIC; few city corporations are lagging behind private industries in Turag, Balu, and Shitalakshya pollution. In Dhaka and the entire country, the river is tired and devastated today. The extent of encroachment becomes apparent as soon as you look at the banks of any river. The situation has reached such a level that many rivers are now threatened. Many rivers can no longer be traced back to reality. Due to encroachment and pollution, 175 of the country’s 405 rivers are on the verge of extinction in the last four decades. The remaining 230 are also at risk. Twenty-four thousand kilometers of waterways have been reduced to 6,000 kilometers.
If the environment is saved, the country will be saved; if the government is saved, we will be saved. The environment is getting polluted due to our ignorance. Living space is shrinking. So, each of us should try to fulfill our responsibility. Everyone should come forward from their respective positions to protect the environment. If everyone is not aware, just enforcing the law will not bring much success. A beautiful world cannot be imagined without considering the environment. The relationship between environment and development is not contradictory. The environment has a close relationship with development. If the country is not developed by protecting the environment, it will not be sustainable. For this reason, not only should the government or various organizations work, but every person in society should work from their position. Economic development should be made possible by saving the environment.
Environmentalists around the world are protesting to save the river. The only reason for this is the vital connection of water and rivers with the environment! Or, considering the infinite importance of the river in their livelihood, people are united and constantly struggling to protect it? Due to various reasons, the major rivers of our country are losing their characteristics day by day. Everything is failing to balance the environment. But to get out of this situation, everyone has to come forward and work from their respective places to save the environment and bring the river back to normal.
About seven thousand small and big factories have been built around Dhaka’s Hazaribagh, Tejgaon, and Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra river protection dams. The industrial waste from these industries directly falls into the Buriganga River. From Buriganga, this industrial waste gets mixed in Turag, Tongi Canal, Balu, Shitalakshya, and Dhaleshwari. Apart from this, Buriganga is the destination of the capital’s household industrial waste. These wastes enter the river without any treatment. From there, they again spread to other rivers at different levels.
A recent study says that 11 types of harmful metals have been found in the water of different rivers of Dhaka-Chattogram. Experts have pointed out that in the last 40 years, rivers in Dhaka, Chattogram, and the surrounding areas have been subjected to extreme pollution. Almost all the country’s rivers have reached different pollution levels, especially the big rivers. Heavy metals from industrial waste leach into water, creating severe pollution in riverbeds. Especially during the dry season, the concentration of harmful metals in river water is high. Oxygen levels were almost zero at several points in the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, Shitalakshya, and Karnaphuli rivers. Without enough oxygen in the water, it is almost impossible for fish or other aquatic animals to survive.
First of all, monitoring should be increased to prevent river pollution. The causes of river water pollution should be stopped by monitoring the source, and the discharge of polluted liquid into the river should be stopped. It is essential to apply the laws that exist for this. To restore the vitality of the river, the effluent disposal system must be ensured to maintain the chemical and biological quality of the rivers. Everyone should come forward to save the river. It is not possible to save the rivers by punishment alone or by the government alone. For this, everyday people should be made aware. The utility of the river has to be explained to them. Besides, concerned authorities should ensure that those involved in pollution get proper punishment.
If the river is not saved, it will be challenging to save Bangladesh; that is, Bangladesh’s public life will be disrupted. Our rivers are related to life, livelihood, culture, art, and literature. These rivers have enriched our agriculture, nature, and economy for thousands of years. Bangladesh’s future will not be protected if the river is not saved. Therefore, river protection should be considered a priority, and work should be done accordingly. That’s why everyone should come forward. The government needs to take a long-term plan very quickly to save the rivers.
In fact, to protect the existence of riverine Bangladesh, there is no alternative to saving the river and keeping it navigable. Sustainable development also requires the saving of rivers and proper use of water. The river is Bangladesh’s life. Therefore, to protect the country’s life force, it is necessary to stop river encroachment and prevent river pollution.
Development that can be accelerated while preserving a safe environment for future generations is considered sustainable development. The government is taking special steps for this. Bangladesh has implemented the MDGs with great success. Considering this issue, the United Nations has formulated and implemented the Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030).
The river must be restored to its lost glory and youth to establish the economy we need for sustainable development. Rivers are closely related to our nature and environment. Sustainable development and river savings should be moved forward with everyone. River use is now multi-dimensional. People are using the river without realizing it. Big factories have been built near the river; thousands of launch steamers are now on the river. Hundreds of dams are in the river. The river is being used as and when required.
About 780 million people in the world cannot drink clean water, and there is no adequate sewage system for 2.5 billion people. 60-80 million people die of waterborne diseases every year. The availability of water is decreasing daily in different parts of the world. However, by the year 2050, the amount of water used in agriculture alone may increase by 19 percent without technological development or policy intervention.
The environment should be protected while keeping the economy running. Again, the economy should be kept active for the environment’s sake. The river must be brought back to its normal state for the sake of healthy survival. But we can’t protect the immense gift of nature. The environment cannot be saved alone. Everyone should come forward to save the river and the environment. About 4500 people and institutions are responsible for river encroachment and pollution in our country; we must take measures against them and save the river. We can save the river if we properly plan to control sand mining and waste dumping. For all these reasons, the river must be saved through the unity of political parties, civil society, and the young generation. We need to protect future generations from terrible climate impacts. It is very important to give importance to regional uniform river management to eliminate the harmful effects of climate change.
Hiren Pandit is an essayist
and a researcher.