Oil sludge in Sangu River: Environment dept to take legal action against power plant
Oil Sludge in Sangu River Prompts Action Against Power Plant
Bdbusinessdaily.com – Oil sludge in Sangu River has prompted the Department of Environment to begin enforcement proceedings against the Dohazari-Kaliaish 100 MW Peaking Power Plant in Satkania, Chattogram. Authorities allege that water mixed with burnt furnace-oil sludge escaped from the plant and entered a canal connected to the river.
Department officials inspected the power plant, Moillya canal and nearby affected areas, collecting water samples for examination at the regional office. The findings will help determine the next legal steps under the department’s enforcement process.
Md Mozahidur Rahman, deputy director of the Department of Environment’s Chattogram District Office, said the plant was ordered to stop polluted water from leaving its premises. A formal notice has also been issued to the authorities concerned.
“We instructed the authorities to stop polluted water from leaving the plant, and they have done so. A notice has also been issued,” he said.
Pollution in Moillya Canal Raises Local Concerns
During a visit to Moillya canal in Kaliaish union, dark oily sludge was visible on the water and on vegetation along its banks. Residents reported a strong unpleasant smell from the canal, which runs for about three kilometres before joining the Sangu River near Chagachar in Maleyabad village.
Local people said water mixed with burnt furnace-oil sludge had been stored at the plant and entered drains during rainfall and flooding. They alleged that the contaminated water then flowed into the canal, affecting nearby farmland and residential areas.
More than 100 farmers previously cultivated around 30 hectares of land beside the canal, using its water for irrigation, according to residents and the upazila agriculture office. Farmers now say the polluted water cannot be used for agricultural purposes.
A human chain was held on 12 September, and residents later submitted a written complaint to the power plant manager. The plant subsequently began removing oily waste from the canal with an excavator and manual labour.
Plant Cites Heavy Rain and Floodwater
Plant Manager and Supervising Engineer Md Abdul Mannan said heavy rain and floodwater caused some water-mixed furnace-oil sludge stored at the facility to pass through drainage lines and reach the canal. He said about 4,00,000 litres of sludge remain stored at the plant.
According to Mannan, the plant has started an auction process to remove the stored material within one month. He also said the route carrying water from the oily wastewater treatment plant to the canal has been closed.
“The route carrying water from the oily wastewater treatment plant to the canal has also been closed,” he said.
Residents and local representatives have said cleaning the canal alone will not be enough. Kaliaish Union Parishad member Abdul Gafur called for permanent safeguards so that waste cannot again enter the waterway during heavy rainfall or flooding.
Why Oil Pollution Threatens Waterways
The reported oil sludge in Sangu River is a concern because furnace oil can create a layer over water that limits sunlight and affects oxygen exchange. Professor Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain of the University of Chittagong said removing the waste was a positive step, while stressing the need to stop untreated waste from reaching canals, rivers and farmland.
BGC Trust University Bangladesh Vice-Chancellor and river researcher Md Manzoorul Kibria said oil layers can harm plankton, aquatic plants, fish and other wildlife by blocking sunlight and reducing oxygen exchange. Because Moillya canal supports irrigation and flows into the Sangu River, preventing future contamination remains important for both farming communities and the wider aquatic environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the oily waste reportedly enter the waterway? The waste reportedly entered Moillya canal in Kaliaish union, Satkania, which later joins the Sangu River near Chagachar in Maleyabad village.
What action has the Department of Environment taken? Officials inspected the affected locations, collected water samples, instructed the plant to stop releasing polluted water and issued a notice. The regional office is continuing its enforcement process.
How are local farmers affected? Residents say canal water previously used to irrigate about 30 hectares of farmland is no longer suitable for agricultural use because of the pollution.