Rajshahi city effluent pollutes Baranai River

RAJSHAHI, June 10: Effluent coming from the city has been contaminating the Baranai River water for long, posing a serious threat to public health.  
The river flows over through Nawhata, Mohonpur, Durgapur, Baghmara and Puthia upazila of the district.
More than three lakh people of these areas living along the river have to use the river water for various purposes regularly. But they are being affected with different water-borne diseases as the river water became polluted by indiscriminate dumping of waste.
If necessary measures are not taken immediately, the situation may worsen, predicted environment specialists.  
According to field sources, the effluent of the city flows through the Cityhaat drain, Duary canal and Baya Bazaar canal and finally falls into the Baranai River. The wastage is mainly dumped from different government and non-government hospitals including Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH), from the Cityhaat cattle market and different industries in the city.
The farmers and the fishermen are getting affected with different water-borne diseases after they come in touch with the water mixed with toxic wastage. Besides, the production of fishes at different water bodies has also suffered setback, local fishermen informed.
While talking to The Daily Observer, Ibrahim Ali of Modhusudanpur village under Nawhata in the city said that they do not have any other water resources for having bath; for this reason, they are to use the river water.
The water of the river was not polluted in past years, but it is being polluted due to dumping of city waste  in the recent years. Many of them are suffering from various skin and waster-bone diseases after using the river water, he added.
Shapna Khatun of Nawhata Purbo-Puthiapara area and Farida Yesmin of Paschim-Puthiapara in the city said that they have been suffering from serious skin diseases after coming in touch with the river water mixed toxic waste.    
Fisherman Juboraj Haldar of Nawhata said, "We maintain our livelihood mainly through fishing at different open water bodies. But now the production of fish has reduced to a drastic level since the water here has become polluted. As a result, we are incurring financial losses."
Dr HCP Noor Alam of Modhusudanpur Community Clinic said that the rush of people living at villages beside the river affected with various skin and water-borne diseases has increased recently.
The wastage of the city contains various harmful elements that cause environment pollution and affect the human body seriously after they use the polluted water for different purposes.", the Dr added.
Puthia Shilmaria Union Parishad Chairman Sazzad Bokul said that a rubber dam was erected on the Baranai River at Jogodispur under the union; as a result, the farmers have got the opportunity to use the river water all round year for cultivation and others purposes.
But, dumping of wastages of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) and some other private clines have seriously been polluting the water.
For this reason, riverine people including farmers and fishermen are being affected with water-borne diseases for long.
Rajshahi Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (RWASA) Secretary Sadekul Islam said that the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) authority would take necessary measures to remove the liquid wastages of the city. The system of wastage management would be moderated.
Meanwhile, a proposal has been made in this connection. It will be possible to manage the liquid wastage properly if the system is moderated immediately, the secretary added.
RCC Official concerned said that the modern wastage removal system would be established within two or three years. The wastage problem would be solved after setting up the modern wastage refinery system.