Nagar Reporter: Crude sugar burned in a fire at S. Alam Sugar Mill is flowing into the nearby Karnaphuli River. As a result, burnt sugar and river water have turned black in color.
Various fish and aquatic animals in the river have already started floating in it. But not only the river but also the roads around the factory are filled with burned sugar water.
On the morning of Wednesday (March 6), it was seen on the ground that the melted water of burnt sugar was flowing directly into the Karnaphuli river through two drains. Burnt sugar waste has turned the water of the Banglabazar canal and ghat on the southern bank of the river into a murky brown color. A bad smell has also spread throughout the area.
Various fish and aquatic animals, including shrimp, crabs, and shrimp, are floating in the area of several kilometers of the river. Locals went down to the river to collect the fish.
Some people who came to fish said that the fish were unable to breathe because of the burning chemicals of sugar mills in the river water. Along with fish, crabs, and various aquatic animals are coming to the shore.
Some fish float for a while at the top of the water and dive again. Fishing is also being done by hand while floating.
Experts say that due to various types of pollution over the years, Karnaphuli has been devoid of large-sized fish for the past decade. The few species of small fish that survive in this hostile environment are also being decimated by chemical pollution from burning sugar. Dissolved oxygen in river water has decreased due to burned sugar waste. Because of that, fish and various aquatic animals are floating without getting the necessary oxygen.
Kamrul Hasan, deputy director of the Department of Environment, said that the amount of dissolved oxygen has decreased due to the mixing of sugar waste in the water. Aquatic animals will be threatened.
Chittagong District Fisheries Officer Srivas Chandra Chand told the media that a team of us is testing the physical and chemical components of the river water. There is a lack of oxygen in the water. Dissolved oxygen is rapidly decreasing.
When the tide comes in, the amount of chemicals in the river water may be slightly reduced. Then the situation can be normal. In this situation, he said that he was waiting for the tide to return to normal.
