SOS to save the doubly polluted river A polythene stratum measuring about ten feet in thickness is said to be embedded under a certain stretch of the Buriganga. The river remains terribly polluted from domestic and industrial wastes disgorging into it, anyway. The polythene comes as an aggravating factor, especially given the shallowness of the river.

The sheer quantities of garbage dumped into the river have turned this arterial water course of a lifeline to city dwellers into an environmental nightmare, of monstrous proportions indeed. We have so far explained the murky and stinky waters in terms of toxic industrial wastes and variegated sewers that pour into the river. But now it seems trashed polybags depositing on the river bed pose a far greater danger to human health than ordinary garbage. While the latter is absorbed into the environment, polythene being non-biodegradable, is permanentgarbage.

There is a whole range of recycled polybags that makes brisk business along the river bank. From the string of used polybag washing and drying activities is blown away a good proportion of polybags into the river water. The main bulk that is recycled, need we say, is hazardous to public health. Furthermore, the Dhaka City Corporation lorries offload all manner of wastes, much of which find their way into the waters.

We find that the concern was put on the agenda by the environmentalists as far back as in 2002. In that year, 17-point-recommendation of the Save Buriganga Taskforce comprising inter-ministerial and civil-society representatives contained a point on disposal of polythene deposits underneath the river. Some four years later, when a BIWTA survey revealed a huge polythene deposit, the then chairman of the organisation thought that a special cutter machine was needed to be imported to clean up the riverbed, but obviously this was not acted upon.

It is relevant to point out that Abdullah Abu Sayeed has recommended that three mobile teams be formed to operate whole time keeping vigil over people dumping wastes and the ways in which they do so in order to warn them off. RAB and police could be co-opted to give teeth to the mobile teams.

All the same, the need to have a thorough-bred strategy to combat the invasion of polybag again can hardly be overemphasised.