Mass awareness must for reducing air pollution
Speakers at a seminar yesterday emphasised mass awareness for reducing air pollution, saying the current situation is alarming for the nation.
Around 82,000 people die every year of different diseases related to air pollution in the country, they said at the seminar on air pollution, organised by Department of Environment (DoE), Chattogram at its conference room.
In the keynote presentation, Dr Mosharraf Hossain, professor at institute of forestry and environment sciences of Chittagong University, named multiple causes behind air pollution including construction sites, burning fossil fuels, brick kilns etc.
“Air pollution has a large impact on human health and the ecosystem, and it contributes to rise in temperature,” he said.
“Planting trees both indoors and outdoors, using renewable energy and reducing biomass burning will improve the situation, and mass awareness about this issue is a must,” he added.
Prof Mosharraf said industrialisation also contributes to air pollution, so this must be tackled at a policy level.
Md Shamsuddoha, chief executive officer of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), said although CCC started door-to-door garbage collection, people in many areas still dump their garbage in drains or adjacent canals, polluting air and water.
Almost 25 percent of waste in the city is dumped in drains and canals by irresponsible citizens, he said, adding that CCC will announce a prize for rooftop gardening this year to encourage indoor plantation.
Azadur Rahman Mallick, director of DoE Chattogram region, presided over the seminar.
Dr Monir Uddin, professor of chemistry at Chittagong University, also spoke at the event.
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