Garbage dumping killing trees

A few skeletons of trees stand surrounded by garbage beside the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar, on the outskirts of the capital. Even just three months back the scenario was completely different with rows of trees lining the highway. However, continuous dumping of household garbage there by Savar municipality have left many trees dead and many others dying. photo: star

Trees beside Dhaka-Aricha highway, from Savar to Dhamrai, outside the capital, are dying as Savar municipality is dumping garbage next to the trees for not having any designated dumping ground.
From Nabinagar to Aminbazar, The Daily Star correspondent found 18 garbage mounds, each covering 200 yards, around half a kilometre apart within a distance of 21 kilometres.
Over two hundred trees, mainly Koroi and Akashmoni, on both sides of the highway, have already died while the remaining ones are dying.
From Genda station to Savar station, the roadside which used to be with trees, is now almost bare of trees. Makeshift tea stalls, which have grabbed the roadsides, are dumping hot water and rubbish directly at the base of the trees, claimed locals.
Ulail, a busy area with a huge number of garment and dyeing factories, is also losing its roadside beauty as disposal of factory wastes is also contributing to the killing.
The remaining trunks and skeletons of the trees became firewood for the locals.
Moreover, promotional materials of social, educational and political organisations are seen hanging from the trees by iron nails which are reducing the lifespan of the trees.
Ahammed Ali, sub-divisional arboriculturalist, Dhaka, told The Daily Star that they were assigned to maintain the trees in road deviders but could not do anything unless Roads and Highways Department ordered them.
Dr Ataur Rahman Khan, president of Savar-Dhamrai Poribesh Unnoyon Parishad, said roadside trees were one of the few sources of greenery in the urban areas and if the authorities did not take any step soon, the environment would be threatened.
Alhaz Refatullah, mayor of the Savar municipality which was fined last year for dumping garbage beside roads, said they had been knocking the authorities concerned for the last three years for permission to use the Dhaka City Corporation's dumping ground in Aminbazar but still there is no response. So, they are bound to use those lands.