Although Hatirjheel has become a part of a tourist attraction of the capital the garbage of the surrounding houses, and the drain water falling into the lake are spreading stench and polluting the environment.
Every day many people come from different parts of the city to see Hatirjheel. Many people travel from FDC Ghat to Gudaraghat in Gulshan by water taxi. At the same time, the citizens around Hatirjheel exercise by walking.
But various types of garbage including household garbage from nearby houses, leftover food thrown by visitors, packets of chanachur and chips, and polythene are lying on the banks of Hathirjheel Lake. Garbage from shops and restaurants built around is also being thrown into the Jheel water. Different types of garbage are floating in the water. The color of the water is sometimes black, somewhere dark blue.
Apart from this, various wastes including polythene, and plastic bottles are scattered all over Hatirjheel, and the environment is being destroyed. Waste and dirty water from Panthpath, Dhanmondi, and Kalabagan areas are entering Hathirjheel through a total of 11 points, including the drain behind Sonargaon Hotel, spoiling the water clarity.
As this water is stuck in the lake for a long time, the color of the water is gradually turning black and the stench is increasing. A strong stench is spreading with the wind in Jhilpar and surrounding areas. White foam is created by waves in the concentration of dirty water.
Apart from this, the DPDC cut the Hatirjheel Lake road from Rampura to Moghbazar and took the electricity cable underground. Even after filling the soil, numerous small and large ditches have been created by the rain. The condition of the road in front of Gate No. 1 of Nijhum Abashik Kalyan Samiti in the Ulan area is very bad.
Although underground cables have been laid on this road, it has not been made suitable for vehicular movement. The potholes in the road are just covered with sand. Vehicles are getting stuck in sand pits while plying through the road. As a result, accidents happen every day.
Shahinuzzaman, who is a regular morning visitor, said that people from different parts of the capital come here for walking and sightseeing. The littered environment has made it difficult to visit. Walking in the morning is not safe because of the holes.
Roksana Kabir travels regularly by water taxi. She said, if the water could be kept clear all year round, then the number of passengers on this route would increase. At the same time, the pressure on Dhaka's road system would also decrease. At first, many people used the route. But because of the dirty water, the possibility of waterways is also getting dirty now.
Hatirjheel Integrated Development Project Director ASM Raihanul Ferdous told Bangladesh Pratidin, “We have cleaners to keep Hatirjheel clean. They clean the roads and footpaths of Hatirjheel every morning. We are trying our best to keep it beautiful. Apart from this, some waste bins are damaged, and a private company has been given the responsibility to repair them. So far 50 bins have been installed. Another 150 bins will be installed.”
He said, the workers cleaned some dirt and put it in a certain place. At a certain time, the car comes and takes them away. Regarding the stench in the water, this official said, the water does not have a strong stench now. However, there may be a slight odor. We are using different types of chemicals to prevent the smell of water.
(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on November 01 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)
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