Thousands suffer for ill-planned dumping station in Panchagarh

The sickening odour from an unplanned waste-dumping station has made the life of the residents of Jwalasi area in Panchagarh municipality unbearable.

Besides, commuters and pedestrians using the Panchagarh-Haribhasha and Panchagarh-Tunirhat roads are suffering badly due to the pollution as well as bad odour from the waste depot.

People are compelled to move through the roads by covering their noses and faces to get rid of the bad odour, locals pointed out, alleging that the municipality authorities have not yet taken any step to relocate it even after they were informed repeatedly.

Around 50,000 people of several unions, including Haribhasha, Chaklahat, Kamat Kajol Dighi, Omarkhana, Hafizabad and Kaliganj, in Sadar upazila, use the roads every day for their travel to and from the district town.

They are being affected by the pollution due to the bad odour coming out from the waste depot set up at Jwalasi of the municipality without considering its effect on the locals.

The environment of the locality is also severely polluted as carcasses of various animals, including cows and goats, are also being dumped into the waste depot, locals alleged.

They said Panchagarh municipality established the dumping station acquiring a one-acre pond.

Wastes are being dumped into the pond for years together and at present the pond has become filled with wastes, the locals said, alleging that the municipality has now started dumping the wastes on the road.

There are educational institutions, an amusement park, many business houses and industrial enterprises near the dumping station. Several thousand students have to endure sickening odour from it every day.

Thousands of people are in health hazards due to the pollution and even many have fallen sick. Many were seen vomiting on the road after failing to withstand the bad odour.

Manik Khan, a betel-leaf trader of Haribhasha union, said he comes to the district town almost every day for business purpose. “However, I have to endure the bad odour coming out from the waste depot.”

Abu Taher of Tunirjhat said he has to come to the town every day on job purpose. “I feel nausea while passing by the dumping station.”

Shah Alam Sarker, a teacher of Chaklahat KP High School, said he fell sick one day failing to bear the bad odour.

Sourav, a student, said the waste depot must be managed through modern environment-friendly system or else everyone would be affected by pollution.

Contacted, Panel Mayor of Panchagarh municipality Ashraful Alam said about 3 acres of land have been acquired at Jwalasi to set up an environment-friendly waste depot. “Tender has already been floated for construction of the waste-dumping station. Work will begin soon. Once it’s constructed, there’ll be no problem.”