The River Karnaphuli, considered the economic lifeline of Chattogram, continues to face ecological challenges due to a lack of coordinated efforts by the authorities concerned to tackle uncontrolled pollution, siltation, and encroachment.

Experts and environmentalists laid emphasis on the faster implementation of the ongoing sewerage treatment plant establishment project, engaging the local communities and other stakeholders for effective pollution control measures, and strict enforcement of laws to put an end to destroying the invaluable natural resource.

Direct discharge of sewage, household solid and liquid wastes, industrial effluents, and spillage of oil from water transport are the primary sources of pollution in the river.

Sources said solid and liquid waste from households with some seven million residents finds its way to the river through some 57 canals and a number of drains every day.

On top of that, some dishonest industry owners discharge liquid chemical waste into the river, sometimes keeping the Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP) off to save money, alleged the sources.

On the other hand, Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Cwasa) initiated a project in 2018 to set up the much-talked-about sewage treatment plant, aiming to introduce a sewerage system for around 1.2 million people.

The project titled “Establishment of Sewerage System in Chattogram Metropolitan,” involving around Tk3,808 crore, also aimed at developing sanitation facilities, reducing dependency on soak-wells for a better environment, and improving the living standards of the residents.

But only 45% of the work on the project has been completed by now, while the authority appealed for an extension of time until 2026 as the prescheduled deadline expires this month, said Project Director (PD) Engineer Mohammed Ariful Islam.

The engineer claimed that they couldn’t carry out the project work smoothly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the delay.

Consequently, toxic, stinky, and black liquid wastes, in addition to solid ones, mainly imperishable plastic items, go to the river every day during low tide, posing a great threat to the ecosystem there.

DoE Deputy Director (Chattogram Laboratory) Kamrul Hasan said they collect samples of water from six points of the river every month to examine at their lab.

Sometimes, they find some parameters of standard in the river water beyond the acceptable level. But it doesn’t go to an excessive level like Buriganga due to the low and high tides, he said.

But the severe contamination in the water hampers the food chain of aquatic life, including fish and plants, forcing them to face extinction or shift the habitat, said Kamrul Hasan.

The environmentalist group “Karnaphuli River and Canal Protection Movement” carried out a survey on the river’s depth and encroachment on both sides from 1 March to 30 April in 2022. They then claimed that the Karnaphuli had lost an average of 500 metres in width due to encroachment and siltation since 2000. According to the report, the width of the river was 930.31 metres in 2000, which was reduced to 410 metres in 2022.

The movement’s General Secretary Aliur Rahman said after the survey they conducted in 2022, none came up with any initiative to reveal the extent of damage in the river.

However, following the capital and regular dredging by the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), the width was increased to around 600 to 610 meters. But the river is also filling with siltation during the heavy rainfall, he said. The mouths of the canals like Chaktai and Rajakhali also got filled with siltation that obstructs the normal flow of water during the rainfall, said Aliur.

The environmentalist also alleged that, due to a lack of eviction drives, the illegal settlements on the river banks are increasing day by day.

Earlier, the Chattogram district administration demarcated bank lines of the river as per the High Court order issued on 18 July 2010, following a writ petition filed by “Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.”

They also identified over 2,000 small and large illegal government and private structures on both banks after the completion of the demarcation in 2015.

In August 2016, the High Court was also directed to evict some 2,106 structures built illegally on the river banks following some procedures. Later, the administration started demarcating the bank lines afresh as part of the eviction drive in 2019.