The National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) has taken efforts to rejuvenate 48 rivers which are dying and have lost their glory.
In this regard, a four year project was also taken at the end of 2018. Under this, 15 rivers were surveyed in the first one year. The project sources say that there isn’t life in some rivers since the water is too contaminated.
Specialists feel that the navigability of rivers need to be increased, thematic maps made, aquatic creatures identified and public awareness raised.
Project Director Ikramul Huq said: “Pollution is high in the rivers around the city and we have already done a survey in the first year, finding that Turag and Balu rivers have been affected the most.”
Saying that bio-diversity is almost nil at the Turag Balu, the project director, said: “The water of these rivers is so polluted that no vegetation can grow.”
To save the rivers, the illegal structures on both sides have to be demolished; concurrently, we have recommended that effluent from the nearby factories cannot be discharged in the rivers.
Currently, surveys are being carried out in the following rivers: Chilai, Suti, Paruli, Shitalakhsya, Buriganga, Dhaleshwari, Arial Kha, Mumar Modhumoti, Chengi, Chitra, Borla etc.
It’s found that after dredging, the earth and sand are being dumped near the river, as a result, during rainfall the earth is sliding into the river and so, a recommendation has been made to dump the earth at a safe distance.
Other recommendations include widening the canals linked to the rivers, efforts to preserve bio-diversity and delineating river boundaries.
Chairman of the National River Conservation Commission Mujibur Rahman Howlader says: “We have destroyed the rivers but the relief is that effort is underway to save them, though it’s a bit late. Surveys are being done now and based on the recommendations made, steps will be taken.”