Pollution reduces in Chittagong port areas

Chittagong port where once disposal of oily substance, top, was a common scene, now witnesses a remarkably improved environment, bottom. PHOTO: STAR

An unusual pleasant atmosphere now prevails there.

CPA magistracy in its continuous crackdown during the last five years detained and awarded punishment to over 1,000 vessels, both the local and foreign flag carriers, for causing serious water, air and noise pollution.

It also gave both legal and financial punishment to over 300 industries and commercial firms along the river Karnaphuli at Chittagong port channel and the neighbouring areas for polluting environment in various ways during the period.

Strong surveillance and continuous drive under Chittagong Port Law have succeeded in reducing pollution at different points of the river Karnaphuli to a remarkable extent and putting an end to open dumping of wastes into the water by vessels.

Disposal of wastes, sludge and metallic rubbish into the water from the vessels anchored or under going repair at the port was a common feature.

CPA failed to check the nuisance while the port officials remained silent despite falling victim to the pollution that went on at the main operational areas of the port.

Being spared of punishment, the polluters, mainly the masters and mariners of different vessels, were on a spree giving the pollution in and around Chittagong port area an alarming shape.

But, the bad practice is now reined in. The port users, including mariners, stevedores and shipping agents as well as the foreign vessels that earlier used the Karnaphuli as a "dumping yard" of wastes, are now much cautious due to frequent anti-pollution drives.

And the man who made this possible is CPA Magistrate Mohammad Munir Chowdhury.

Immediately after taking over his office, Chowdhury started visiting the port channel himself for trying the polluters on the spot as the captains and crews of the vessels hardly cared for appearing before the port magistrate for trial.

He awarded penalty to some 800 local vessels and over 200 vessels carrying flags of Panama, Cyprus, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malta, China, India, Saint Vincent, Liberia and Indonesia during the period.

Chowdhury said there is a law to penalise the polluters up to Tk 10 lakh and sentence them up to 10 years in jail.

"The law relating to environment has been amended to set up environmental courts in all the six divisional towns," he said. "Besides, there is a provision for environment court to be conducted by a magistrate under the district magistrate in each district," he added.

"Now we need to see application of the laws," he said.

He said, "Though there is a scope to check pollution, a criminal offence, and try the polluters under Chittagong port law, the law remained unexercised."

Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (Bela), Chittagong regional officer Md Anwarul Haq said the frequent anti-pollution drives by the CPA magistrate is a "noble and courage venture." The authorities like Chittagong City Corporation, Chittagong Development Authority and Bangladesh Railway can now follow the suit, he added.

Sources in concerned environmental forums also echoed the Bela officer saying that anti-pollution drive by other organisations is indispensable as the environment courts alone could hardly tackle the menace.

In this regard they said as per the environmental law a case can be filed with environmental courts only by the Department of Environment (DoE). The individual victims of pollution are only left with the options of filing a GD with concerned police station.

Taking cognisance of any case or trial of a polluter by the environmental court depended on the inquiry report of the DoE, they said.

As such the individual victim can not bring the polluters to justice, they said.