THE High Court in yet another welcome directive on May 6 asked the government to take some specific steps for a better oversight of River Sitalakhya conservation projects. The directive came on a writ petition by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, which highlighted the unchecked dumping of untreated industrial and solid waste into the river. The 110km Sitalakhya was once the mainstay for fishers but has now lost its aquatic biodiversity. The fisheries department earlier confirmed that waste dumped into the river was the main reason for the fish stock decline. Most industrial units along the river do not have functioning effluent treatment plants. In 2017, the environment department reported the level of dissolved oxygen in the Sitalakhya water at 2 parts per million during the monsoon season and almost zero level in the dry season, which should be 6 parts per million for the survival of aquatic lives. The High Court directive to form an oversight committee to prevent the pollution of the river is what the government should comply with.
The High Court has also asked the government to assess the extent of pollution and environmental damage and report back to court in three months. It has asked the authorities about their inaction in taking action against all responsible for the pollution. In 2010, a writ petition was filed seeking a court directive on the unchecked pollution of rivers. The court later issued a series of orders which included identifying errant industrial units and taking actions against them. In January 2020, the court asked the utility service providers to disconnect gas, power and water connections to the factories discharging untreated industrial wastes into the river. It is worrying that the litigant has to move court again to seek an order to enforce the directives. It is concerning given that the environment, forest and climate change adviser has announced the commitment to protecting and reclaiming rivers and had been on the front line of movements that sought protection of the environment. The steps so far taken resemble the insincerity of the predecessors, especially the deposed Awami League government.
The government should, therefore, abandon the superficial and non-committal policy attitude and take early action against errant industrial units and prosecute the Sitalakhya polluters. It should also comply with the court orders and not only the order at hand but all orders issued in the past.
