Buriganga River Water Restoration

POLLUTION SCENARIO AND

POSSIBLE REMEDIAL MEASURES

OF THE BURIGANGA RIVER OF

BANGLADESH

Presented By

MAK Khan (Sipon)

e-mail: [email protected]

INDEX

• Introduction

• Types of Pollution

• Pollution Source

• Present Scenario

• Remedial Measures

• References

INTRODUCTION

• Buriganga surrounded by a peripheral river system comprising Buriganga, Balu, Turag, Tongi Khal, and Lakhaya. Length 18km.

• This river has enormous significance to the residents of Dhaka City, the capital of Bangladesh. Not only does it surround two sides of the city, it provides important services to the residents, including water supply, navigation, recreation, sanitation and flood control.

INTRODUCTION

• This vital river however has

become extremely polluted and is

close to biological death for

several reasons.

• The tremendous increase in

population over the last three

decades has created enormous

environmental problems, including

among others the disposal of solid

waste, sewage and drainage

problems.

INTRODUCTION

• For this, the sources and occurrences of river pollution should be studied carefully and deserves an urgent adoption and implementation of necessary measures to recover the natural ecosystem of the rivers and to restore the water quality of the river Buriganga.

TYPES OF POLLUTION

• Physical Pollution

• Chemical Pollution

• Biological Pollution

POLLUTION SOURCES

• Pollutants are mainly generated in and around the city through domestic, commercial and industrial activities.

• Wastewater and sewage generated in the city are carried into the river system through numerous outlets.

• The river is affected along its course by both point and non-point sources of pollution.

POLLUTION SOURCES

• Point Source Pollution

▫ Encroachment

▫ Solid Waste

▫ Untreated Sewerage

▫ Industrial Pollution from

Tannery & other industries

▫ Terminal & Landing Station

▫ Overloaded Pagla Sewage

Treatment Plant

POLLUTION SOURCES

POLLUTION SOURCES

• Non-Point Source Pollution

▫ Land run-off caused mainly by rainfall, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage, seepage and hydrologic modification

▫ Wastes are often disposed of at roadside open dumps which are very likely to be washed away by runoff to the storm sewer.

PRESENT SCENARIO • River depth decreasing due to sludge deposition hence affecting the

navigation.

• Tanneries of Hazaribagh, chemical industry of Tejgaon and many other factories poisonous wastes are falling down in the river without any treatment.

• Not only from tanneries, has waste matter from thousands of latrines on both sides of the river been connected with the flow

• From the launches and engine vessels in Sadarghat and dockyard areas, there are discharges kerosene and Mobil oil.

• Human excreta’s and other waste from the floating vessels are spilled. These wastes contaminate the river water affecting its aquatic life and ecological health.

REMEDIAL MEASURES

• It is essential to make provision for protection and improving water quality of the Buriganga river to sustain the ecosystem in this river and overall environment of the Dhaka city.

• Hazaribagh tanneries are responsible for causing pollution in the Buriganga river by the contribution of toxic and persistent pollutants, for that an Effluent Treatment plant (ETP) should be established without delay.

• Pagla sewage Treatment plant will need to be expanded to handle extra pollution load.

REMEDIAL MEASURES • Uproot every kind of pollution

making industry including tannery from both sides of the Buriganga river.

• Proper dredging of the existing river and removing non degradable matters from the river bed.

• Proper laws should be enforced from the Department of Environment to reduce the pollution of river water from adjacent pollution.

References

• Ahmed MF. 1988. Effect of Pollution Discharges of the River Buriganga, Water Pollution Control in Asia, ed. Thongchai Panswad, et al, Pergamon Press, 1988.

• Akter KS. 2007. Studies on Water Quality in the Peripheral River system Around Dhaka city. B.Sc. Engineering project report, Department of Civil Engineering, BUET, Dhaka.

• Alam K. 2003. Cleanup of the Buriganga River: integrating the environment into decision making. PhD Dissertatiion.Perth, Murdoch University.

• Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), 2006. Ministry of Water Resources, Government of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority(BIWTA), 2001

Thank You