It is heart-breaking to learn of the near death of three rivers and one canal in Tangail due to the dumping of polluted elements by some mills and factories in the given area, according to a DS report yesterday which was World Environment Day. While many people have been badly affected by the degradation of these waterbodies aquatic life of the area has been completely extinguished.

According to the Tangail office of the Department of Environment (DoE), there are 14 such polluting mills and factories along with an industrial zone that throw toxic wastes into these waterbodies. The DoE had fined these factories several times in the past, but this did not stop them from dumping the chemicals untreated. Local people can no longer use the water of these rivers for bathing or farming. Even cattle of this area suffer from diarrhoea after drinking water from these waterbodies. The noxious smell from these rivers and canals are also making it hard for the local people to live there.

It is beyond our comprehension why these factories are not using the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) that lessens the amount of toxic elements from industrial waste. Although most of the above-mentioned factories have this technology, locals allege that these machines remain shut most of the time to lessen operational costs. The locals have also alleged that the owners of these factories are connected to influential figures and large kickbacks are given so that the factory owners can run their businesses as they wish—without treating the chemical wastes that they dump into the water.

On July 1, 2020, the High Court published its 17-point directive to save our waterbodies from further encroachment and pollution. Also, the High Court order declared the National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) as the sole guardian of our waterbodies. The court has given this commission such authoritative power that any government agency has to take permission from NRCC first to do anything related to our rivers, canals and so on.

As NRCC is a government body, it has to carry out its work without any interference. NRCC must take emergency steps to save the rivers and canals of Tangail. The commission has to punish those who are polluting the rivers, find out if allegations against those who have let these factories run for such a long time in exchange of bribes are true and if so, punish them according to the laws of the land. The practice of treating the chemicals through the ETP must be enforced—and industries must be heavily penalised if they don't. Whatever fines they paid have obviously not been enough to deter them from breaking the law so far.

Merely having laws on paper and a commission in name only will not bring the desired results. If the government is committed to saving the rivers of our country that are the lifelines of the people and home to thousands of species of aquatic life, it has to ensure unbiased enforcement of environmental laws.