Asphalt Plant on Khulna City Park Land
Smoke, dust put residents under health risk
An asphalt plant, set up on the land meant for a public park in Boyra residential area of Khulna city, remains a nuisance for people of surrounding areas. Photo: STAR
The asphalt plant set up on the land meant for a park at Boyra Housing Estate in Khalishpur of Khulna city remains a nuisance for locals as black smoke and dust poses health risk for them. Over a thousand people of Boyra residential area joined a procession on Monday afternoon demanding immediate shifting of the asphalt plant for recovering the land for a park and saving residents from serious environment pollution. Local people earlier submitted petitions to former and present mayors of Khulna City Corporation (KCC), offices of Khalishpur Housing Estate and Department of Environment and the environment ministry to shift the asphalt plant to free the park. The plant was established in 1998 as the then KCC mayor Sheikh Tayebur Rahman remained firm on his decision to construct it although local people on several occasions submitted applications urging not to establish the plant on a land meant for park, sources said. "The housing estate authorities handed over the land in 1996 to Khulna City Corporation for a park. So, it is illegal to set up an asphalt plant there. The plant is polluting environment of the surrounding area," said engineer Badal Kumar Mandol of Khalishpur Housing Estate. Former lawmaker Kazi Sikander Ali Dalim said he had also opposed the plan for asphalt plant grabbing land of the park. "The asphalt plant was constructed occupying land of the park with consent of former mayor Sheikh Tayebur Rahman. We will not allow the city corporation to run the plant in our residential area as it is harmful for health and environment," said Kazi Faizur Rahman, president of Boyra Housing Estate Residents' Welfare Association. "In response to our last official letter on June 24 in 2008, KCC authorities replied that the plant would be shifted if any other suitable place is available," he said. Incumbent KCC Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque also said that the plant would be shifted as soon as an alternative place is found. KCC Estate Officer Nuruzzaman Talukder said a site has already been selected adjacent to Rupsha bridge for shifting the plant. KCC Executive Engineer (Mechanical) Abdul Aziz said the proposal for shifting the plant has already been approved at a 'pre-ECNEC level' meeting and it is now awaiting final approval by ECNEC for shifting the plant to the site near Rupsha bridge. The asphalt plant causes dust and sound pollution that threatens public health, said Ashoke Kumar Biswas, the director of Khulna divisional office of environment department. Dr Moni Mohan Saha, project director of Sheikh Abu Naser Specialised Hospital, said they are especially worried about the patients as asphalt plant at Boyra residential area is very near to the hospital.
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