Siddhirganj, Meghnaghat power hubs behind air, water, noise pollution in vast areas: Study

Power plants at Siddhirganj and Meghnaghat areas, near Dhaka are releasing excessive nitric oxide in the air and releasing hot water into the River Shitalakhya causing water and air pollution in the areas along with the other factories, a study revealed.

Two consulting firms from Bangladesh and India jointly conducted the survey with assistance from the World Bank (WB) a few years back.

Power Cell, a technical wing of the Power Division, sponsored the study, titled 'Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment Study on Siddhirganj power hub' also indicates that air and noise pollution in the areas are also increasing due to unplanned power plants and industrialization. 

Researchers found that the presence of excessive nitric oxide in the air in Siddhirganj. They also claimed that power plants in Shiddhirganj are releasing hot water directly into the River Shitalakhya, which causes water pollution; Siddhirganj power hubs are responsible for noise and air pollution in the area along with the other factories there.

"As per set standard of the Ministry of Environment, we found that Siddhirganj area is polluted and categorized as a 'degraded (unhealthy) air shed', however, Meghnaghat area is moderately polluted and categorized "moderate air-shed' due to these pollution diarrhoea and skin diseases have increased there significantly," according to the study.

Different types of factories and eight power plants having the capacity to generate 1,860 megawatts of electricity have so far been installed in Siddhirganj, the report said. Three power projects having the capacity to generate 900MW of electricity were installed in Meghnaghat. The government has a plan to install newer LNG and coal-fired plants in Meghnaghat.

It said environmental pollution is on the rise due to unplanned industrialisation and installation of power plants at Meghnaghat and Siddhirganj in Narayanganj.

"The power plants existing in these two industrial zone are trying to maintaining the DoEs set rule but the other industries are rampantly disobeyed the rules," official claimed.

The study has said air pollution and water contamination will be a threat in future expansion plan of any sorts of industries at Siddhirganj and Meghnaghat areas.

The report suggests the industrial units and power plants are the main sources of pollution here, while the goods-laden boats are releasing waste and polluted oil to cause massive water pollution. The report said the thousands of vehicles plying the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet highways via the Siddhirganj power hub are responsible for noise and air pollution in the area.

The River Shitalakhya is being polluted by the industrial wastes. The water in River Meghna in a better shape compared to that of Shitalakhya, the report added.

 "We sought support from the World Bank to prepare a Detailed Area Plan for Siddhirganj and Meghnaghat to make our future plan a success," a high government functionary said.

Over the last decade, 40 percent of the arable lands and 60 percent of the water bodies have been used for setting up industrial units and residents in Siddhirganj, the report said.

Besides, 60 percent of the cultivable land and 30 percent of the water bodies were used for industrial and residential purposes in Meghnaghat area. 

The report suggested modernisation of the cooling system in the power plants to reduce pollution.

"We are planning to ask the Power Division to give us the exact data of the power plants and their overall situation, we will monitor the activities of the power plants (operations related with the environment issues)," Ziaul Haque, Director Air Control of the Ministry of Environment says.

Responding to queries in this regard, a senior official of the Power Division has said the government will conduct an environmental impact assessment study for each of the power hub to find the right solution to mitigate the impact of power plants on the environment.

Bangladesh and India jointly conducted the survey between February 2015 and August 2016 with assistance from the World Bank (WB).

Breathing Uneasy: an assessment of air pollution in Bangladesh study has said Bangladeshi cities have extremely poor air quality compared to other cities in Asian and South Asian countries, posing serious health and economic concern for the citizens. 

Air pollution is a major health risk in the world and the death tolls in Bangladesh are rising as diseases are being aggravated by polluted air.