The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

Toxic particles in the air of Dhaka city continue to exceed permissible limits despite steps of the government to reduce the rate of pollution.

Brick kilns, plastic factories and open air burning of plastic items at different parts and peripheries of Dhaka city, faulty vehicles, foundries and steamers at Sadarghat launch terminal and its adjacent areas and diesel-run vehicles which are plying in the city roads, contribute to the increase of toxicity in the air of the capital city, said an official of the Air Quality Management Project (AQMP) under the Department of Environment (DoE).

Faulty vehicles are the largest source of air pollution as only the diesel-run vehicles contribute about 60 per cent of such particles in the air. At least 70 per cent of the diesel-run vehicles, mainly buses and trucks, are emitting toxic particles in abundance, a survey of the Project revealed.

Dr Mohammad Nasiruddin, Project Director of AQMP, said, "Faulty and unfit vehicles that emit carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, SPM (Suspended Particulate Matter) 10 and PM (Particulate Matter) 2.5 are the most lethal among the toxic particles available in the air of Dhaka city."

"The concentration of particles in the air is the highest at present in Dhaka city due to climatic condition. Air pollution mostly occurs from end of October to end of February. Especially, during December to January this situation exceeds the permissible limit. During the months, wind speed and velocity is reduced, for this reason, thermal pollution occurs and smog and fog appear," he said.

There are 4,000 brick kilns around the city, which use tyres, wood and low-quality coal, which contains more than 4 per cent sulphur, emitting toxic particles into the air. No initiative has been taken yet to measure quantity of toxic particles emitted from the brick kilns, he added.

Faulty vehicles are the prime source of air pollution as only the diesel-run vehicles contribute about 60 per cent of such particles in the air. At least 80 per cent of the diesel-run vehicles, mainly buses and trucks, are emitting toxic particles beyond the permissible limit, according to a survey by World Bank.

Dr Habibullah Talukder, Associate Professor of the National Cancer Institute, said that such particles affect the cardiac and respiratory systems, nose, throat and ear.

"Inhaling particulate matters even for a short time may cause negative effect on a healthy body and on them who are smokers or who have been suffering from other diseases," he said.

Inhaling these particles also reduce life expectancy and working capability. Among the particles - SPM 10 and PM 2.5 are the most dangerous as they hit blood directly and can cause cancer, he added.

Mainly children and aged people suffer from cough, asthma, bronchitis and other diseases for other particles in the air, said doctors.

Several governments took initiatives including enacting legislation to keep the air fresh in different time but all those initiatives had failed for different reasons.

As an example, the government initiated to set up five computerised 'Vehicle Inspection Centres' (VIC) to check faulty vehicles in 1996, but unfortunately the centres are yet to operate.

It has been alleged that a foreign consultant organisation and the construction company left the vehicle inspection centres without completing their activities.

The government again sought money from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the initial financiers, to repair the faulty equipment of the centres, said an official of the BRTA.

The government also ordered to increase height of the chimney of brick kilns to reduce the air pollution but failed to ensure burning of quality fuel in these kilns making the initiative ineffective, he added.