River Conservation Commission disappointed over Savar Tannery Industrial Estate’s mismanagement

DR Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury, chairman of the National River Conservation Commission, expressed his disappointment over the mismanagement and overall condition of the Savar Tannery Industrial Estate after visiting the venue.

After visiting the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), CETP lab and various points of the estate, he held a meeting with the officials of the industrial estate on Monday morning and then talked to reporters. 

He described the poor condition of the laboratory at the estate and said there were no instruments and no activities; even village school labs had more equipment than this one.

"We have received various allegations about the Tannery Industrial Estate from various sources, including newspapers and magazines. We have come here today to learn about the actual situation. But I am very disappointed with what I have understood after coming here and talking to the relevant officials here," said the Commission chairman.

Dr Manjur wanted to learn about various issues, especially regarding river and environmental pollution and the efficiency of the CETP, while discussing with the officials concerned at the estate from the Department of Environment and the CETP.

Although the officers concerned tried to explain their standpoints and the progress of the work, Dr Manjur was not satisfied with that.

Sanjay Thakur, a senior process engineer of Dhaka Tannery Industrial Estate Waste Treatment Plant Company, which is in charge of operating the CETP, claimed that the CETP was fully effective and that no untreated liquid waste was removed from the plant to the river. 

The water was tested regularly, and it was found that its quality in various parameters was within the specified standard, he claimed.

However, dismissing this official's claim, Zahirul Islam Talukder, deputy director of the Department of Environment (Dhaka Region), who was present at the meeting, told the commission that the amount of dissolved oxygen that was claimed to be present in the water of the outlet of the CETP was not found in the laboratory of the Department of Environment. The environment department found its level to be much lower than the standard level, said Zahirul Islam.

Besides, the level of chromium was found higher than the standard level in the water of the outlet of the CETP in various tests, he claimed.

At that time, a discrepancy was found in the results of the CETP fluid test presented by both parties.

Sanjay Thakur told the commission that although the CETP had a capacity of 25,000 cubic meters of liquid waste treatment, in many cases due to the use of excess water in the tanneries, its amount increased.

However, denying the allegation of liquid waste being untreated due to this increase, he said, "If excess waste enters the CETP, the quality may differ slightly, but no untreated liquid goes into the environment."

Dr Manjur told reporters, "I will specifically ask them (officials concerned) to ensure the generation of liquid waste to be not more than the capacity through rationing."

Besides, he will hold a meeting with all the stakeholders, who are related to the tannery, within the next 10 days to see how the condition can be improved.

He further said if the certificate of the Leather Working Group could be obtained, the leather sector could have progressed. 

"But I did not see any interest or activities here to get the certificate, which is very upsetting," he said.

However, the commission would recommend to the higher level of the government how this sector could be more developed, said Dr Manjur.

"Even if there is a needs to change the management to modernize and develop the sector it needs to be done because none of us wants the industry to die," he added.

"Not only the tannery but there are also many other industrial factories in Savar, which are polluting the environment.  Now Savar's water is polluted and the soil is polluted. Now Savar has turned into an uninhabitable city," said Dr Manjur.