Parts of Savar CETP not completed: Environmentalists
Environmentalists today alleged that several parts of the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Savar Tannery Industrial Estate, on the outskirts of Dhaka, are not completed yet.
"Our team yesterday (Friday) visited the industrial estate in Savar and found that three parts -- Solid West Management Plant, Chrome Treatment Plant, Sault Purification Plant -- of the CETP were not completed yet," said Sharif Jamil, joint secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa).
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Jamil was speaking as the keynote speaker at a press conference organized in this regard in Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in Dhaka today.
As a result, the Dhaleshwari river is being polluted due to the mixing of waste from tanneries with river water, he added.
"We demand immediate steps from the government to complete the construction of those at the earliest," Jamil added.
Meanwhile, Abdul Qaiyum, director of tannery relocation project, said, "The authority will not change the dateline for tannery relocation."
We are facing problem to run the CEPT as minimum of 10,000 cubic metres of wet waste is required to run it properly but at the present we are getting only 3,000 cubic metres of wet waste from the tanneries in Savar, he said.
About the construction of the other parts of the CEPT, the director said that minimum Tk 500 crore required to build the salt treatment plant.
"And the Chrome Treatment Plant will be completed within a short period of time," he added.
The programme was organised by Buriganga Riverkeeper, an environmental organisation, to brief journalists about the latest status of the shifting of tanneries to Savar as today is the last date for the shifting from the capital's Hazaribagh area.
Syed Abul Maksud, vice president of Bapa, demanded immediate relocation of tanneries as only 35 factories have been relocated until yesterday.
He also urged the government to publish the detail report on the relocation status and to take immediate steps for stopping the pollution in Buriganga River.
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