Fish breeding declines in Halda || SHYKH SERAJ
Dear readers, a few days back I went to the bank of the Karnafuli River, near the old bridge at Chittagong’s Kalurghat. Note that Karnafuli flows ahead this way to the Bay of Bengal. The canal that started from the left of Karnafuli is Halda River.
You know that Halda is the world’s best natural resource for breeding carp fish. I have seen fishermen collecting the eggs of the fishes and cultivating carp fish for the whole of Bangladesh. The natural farming of carp happens here in Halda. This is a sacred natural breeding field for mother fishes. This is rarely seen anywhere else.
For many years, this river has been harmed in various ways, and now it has become polluted. This natural breeding zone for carp fish is getting destroyed day by day. Behind this, there are many manmade reasons, such as sluice gates, and dumped of the city’s waste into the river. For these reasons, the river has become almost dead.
This has been happening for many years, thus the Prime Minister’s Office ordered investigation into it to find out what initiatives can be taken to save Halda, and protect it from getting harmed.
I went towards Halda from Karnafuli by an engine boat. Let me tell you where the crises lie. I also talked with researchers and those working on and for Halda.
Every year, in the Halda River, rui (carp) fishes spawn on the day of new moon during the frequent monsoon rain. They spawn at noon and afternoon on cloudy days as well. That special time of spawning is called tithi (lunar day). Local fishermen take their places on the river before tithi. They jump in the river as soon as they see eggs. They make fry from the collected eggs traditionally. Even though the river has special characteristics for fries of rui, katla, mrigel and kalibaush, but due to lack of proper planning and maintenance, cutting the turn of the river, killing of mother fish and pollution, it is on the verge of disaster.
Every year, the amount of eggs spawned by mother fishes is decreasing at a notable rate. Where 4,000kg of eggs were produced in 1945, this year, fishermen could barely collect any egg. This year, from March to June, waiting for every tithi, only three times they got sample eggs. They could only produce 12kg of eggs from there. As far as memory goes, such disparity of Halda has never been seen before. Experts are saying, year after year, the decrease of rui’s spawn in Halda has led to this state.
Halda’s destiny is now stricken with dredging, water logging and it is getting dry as well. All the city’s drains lead straight to this fish repository.
Chittagong Water and Sewage Authority (WASA) lifts almost 200 crore gallons of water from this river.
Halda expert Associate Professor Md Manzoorul Kibria of Chittagong University stated some of the main characteristics of Halda river.
“The river turns are very important. These work as habitats for the fishes. The fishes reside here after they migrate. This is the first point that these work as habitats of fishes,” said Mr. Kibria.
Brick fields are also constructed by the shore of the river. This is also another way of destroying Halda. I caught sight of another canal on our way. The canal was carrying city waste as well.
The question is whether the river will survive or not. All around it, destructive actions are being carried out. Sand is being lifted as well in an unplanned way by a mechanical dredger from the river, I saw.
Meanwhile, in Chittagong’s Hathajari upazila’s North Mekhon Union’s Rahallapur, an expensive project named Halda Extension Irrigation Project is being undertaken. At first, the cost of the project was Tk 40 crore. Now it has reached almost Tk 400 crore. According to experts, this is another unplanned project which is leading to Halda’s destruction.
No comprehensive survey or initiative has been done or taken regarding the harm Halda is facing. Most of the initiatives taken were fragmented and incomplete. Like in current times, there has been a survey determining the possible effect of placing Chittagong’s Fatikchhari’s Bushpur Rubber dam. The survey has been conducted and supervised by famous water resource management expert Dr Ainun Nishat. We talked to him regarding the issue.
“Two rubber dams, one on the branch river and the other on the main, are obstructing the water flow of the river. So, one side is absolutely dry. So the movement of the fish and other aquatic animals is being ruined,” said the expert.
“The height of the rubber dam has to be measured whether water will go over it or not. Even if it does, what’s the exact amount”, asked Dr Nishat.
“Now, a huge threat of tobacco farming has taken shape. During monsoon the toxic materials of tobacco is running through the river, which is very harmful for the fish fries. Halda River has to be declared as a protected area and also our national heritage,” stressed Dr. Nishat.
Meanwhile, Chittagong district administration, which also monitors preserving the rivers in the district, is very much concerned regarding city waste in Halda and also about illegal constructions which are obstructing the river’s natural course. I have talked with Mesbah Uddin, the DC of Chittagong and also the Chairman of River Preservation Committee.
“We’re trying heart and soul to save Halda. To stop the pollution we’ve formed mobile courts. People unlawfully take away sand. Yes, there are mobile courts, but that is not the final measure, a final solution to this problem,” said the deputy commissioner.
“We’re also discussing with Halda experts. A charland is now visible on Halda which is also a problem for us. Dept. of Agriculture wants the rubber dam to stay, however the River Preservation Committee is against this idea,” added the DC.
Dear readers, there should be clear indications of what amount of water should be disbursed sector wise. For example, what amount of water should be distributed to farming sector, fishery, aquatic animal and also for the city dwellers. Even what amount of waste can be dumped into river water. We’re murdering Halda river. We’re actually wiping out the parent stock.
The problem in our country is each sector tries to meet their own demands; they don’t care about other sectors. To save the greatest resource of Mother Nature, Halda river, a water balance has to be created, with the intervention of inter-ministerial negotiation.
You know that Halda is the world’s best natural resource for breeding carp fish. I have seen fishermen collecting the eggs of the fishes and cultivating carp fish for the whole of Bangladesh. The natural farming of carp happens here in Halda. This is a sacred natural breeding field for mother fishes. This is rarely seen anywhere else.
For many years, this river has been harmed in various ways, and now it has become polluted. This natural breeding zone for carp fish is getting destroyed day by day. Behind this, there are many manmade reasons, such as sluice gates, and dumped of the city’s waste into the river. For these reasons, the river has become almost dead.
This has been happening for many years, thus the Prime Minister’s Office ordered investigation into it to find out what initiatives can be taken to save Halda, and protect it from getting harmed.
I went towards Halda from Karnafuli by an engine boat. Let me tell you where the crises lie. I also talked with researchers and those working on and for Halda.
Every year, in the Halda River, rui (carp) fishes spawn on the day of new moon during the frequent monsoon rain. They spawn at noon and afternoon on cloudy days as well. That special time of spawning is called tithi (lunar day). Local fishermen take their places on the river before tithi. They jump in the river as soon as they see eggs. They make fry from the collected eggs traditionally. Even though the river has special characteristics for fries of rui, katla, mrigel and kalibaush, but due to lack of proper planning and maintenance, cutting the turn of the river, killing of mother fish and pollution, it is on the verge of disaster.
Every year, the amount of eggs spawned by mother fishes is decreasing at a notable rate. Where 4,000kg of eggs were produced in 1945, this year, fishermen could barely collect any egg. This year, from March to June, waiting for every tithi, only three times they got sample eggs. They could only produce 12kg of eggs from there. As far as memory goes, such disparity of Halda has never been seen before. Experts are saying, year after year, the decrease of rui’s spawn in Halda has led to this state.
Halda’s destiny is now stricken with dredging, water logging and it is getting dry as well. All the city’s drains lead straight to this fish repository.
Chittagong Water and Sewage Authority (WASA) lifts almost 200 crore gallons of water from this river.
Halda expert Associate Professor Md Manzoorul Kibria of Chittagong University stated some of the main characteristics of Halda river.
“The river turns are very important. These work as habitats for the fishes. The fishes reside here after they migrate. This is the first point that these work as habitats of fishes,” said Mr. Kibria.
Brick fields are also constructed by the shore of the river. This is also another way of destroying Halda. I caught sight of another canal on our way. The canal was carrying city waste as well.
The question is whether the river will survive or not. All around it, destructive actions are being carried out. Sand is being lifted as well in an unplanned way by a mechanical dredger from the river, I saw.
Meanwhile, in Chittagong’s Hathajari upazila’s North Mekhon Union’s Rahallapur, an expensive project named Halda Extension Irrigation Project is being undertaken. At first, the cost of the project was Tk 40 crore. Now it has reached almost Tk 400 crore. According to experts, this is another unplanned project which is leading to Halda’s destruction.
No comprehensive survey or initiative has been done or taken regarding the harm Halda is facing. Most of the initiatives taken were fragmented and incomplete. Like in current times, there has been a survey determining the possible effect of placing Chittagong’s Fatikchhari’s Bushpur Rubber dam. The survey has been conducted and supervised by famous water resource management expert Dr Ainun Nishat. We talked to him regarding the issue.
“Two rubber dams, one on the branch river and the other on the main, are obstructing the water flow of the river. So, one side is absolutely dry. So the movement of the fish and other aquatic animals is being ruined,” said the expert.
“The height of the rubber dam has to be measured whether water will go over it or not. Even if it does, what’s the exact amount”, asked Dr Nishat.
“Now, a huge threat of tobacco farming has taken shape. During monsoon the toxic materials of tobacco is running through the river, which is very harmful for the fish fries. Halda River has to be declared as a protected area and also our national heritage,” stressed Dr. Nishat.
Meanwhile, Chittagong district administration, which also monitors preserving the rivers in the district, is very much concerned regarding city waste in Halda and also about illegal constructions which are obstructing the river’s natural course. I have talked with Mesbah Uddin, the DC of Chittagong and also the Chairman of River Preservation Committee.
“We’re trying heart and soul to save Halda. To stop the pollution we’ve formed mobile courts. People unlawfully take away sand. Yes, there are mobile courts, but that is not the final measure, a final solution to this problem,” said the deputy commissioner.
“We’re also discussing with Halda experts. A charland is now visible on Halda which is also a problem for us. Dept. of Agriculture wants the rubber dam to stay, however the River Preservation Committee is against this idea,” added the DC.
Dear readers, there should be clear indications of what amount of water should be disbursed sector wise. For example, what amount of water should be distributed to farming sector, fishery, aquatic animal and also for the city dwellers. Even what amount of waste can be dumped into river water. We’re murdering Halda river. We’re actually wiping out the parent stock.
The problem in our country is each sector tries to meet their own demands; they don’t care about other sectors. To save the greatest resource of Mother Nature, Halda river, a water balance has to be created, with the intervention of inter-ministerial negotiation.
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