A seminar on Buriganga River water pollution was held at the National Press Club on Saturday.
The program was organised by Dr. Rash B. Ghosh, the founder of International Institute of Bengal & Himalayan Basins (IIBHB) and Science and Technology Institute.
The seminar had two parts, the first part was a detailed discussion on Buriganga pollution, identifying the polluters and giving them an opportunity to voluntarily clean up their own facilities. The second part was discussing hydrographic technology and its various contributions to the economy of Bangladesh.
Hydro Grameen technology replenishes depleted water bodies, which is more applicable here as Buriganga is a source of drinking water. Hydrogrameen's benefits far exceed any innovative technology of our time.
Read: Little headway in restoring Old Buriganga channel
According to Dr. Rash B. Ghosh, the Buriganga river is suffering from pollution. Chemical wastes from mills, domestic wastes, medical wastes, sewage, dead animals, plastics and oil are major pollutants. Dhaka city generates around 4,500 tonnes of solid waste per day and most of it is discharged into the Buriganga.
Experts have identified nine industrial areas in and around the capital city as the primary sources of river pollution: Tongi, Tejgaon, Hazaribagh, Tarabo, Narayanganj, Savar, GazipurBhan Export Processing Zone and Ghorashal. Most of the industrial units in this area do not have their own sewage treatment plants or Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs)
"This polluted water will also harm our upcoming generation's health. This is the reason from now we need to be very careful about it, he added."
Read: Width of Buriganga Old channel increased 10 times: Mayor Taposh