City Report and Action Plan of Chittagong

Mr. Kazi Mobassher Ahmed Hashemi
Ward Commissioner,
Ward No.2: Jalalabad Ward,
Chittagong City Corporation,
Bangladesh

CONTENTS

1. City Report

1.1. Administrative Organizations and Duties for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection

Under the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Government of Bangladesh, six units are responsible for urban planning and environmental protection.

1. Department of Environment (DoE)
2. Conservancy Department of City Corporation
3. Department of Coastal Forestry, Department of Forestry
4. Department of Inland Forestry, Department of Forestry
5. Department of Urban Plantation, Chittagong City Corporation
6. Air, Water and Soil Pollution Control initiatives in the urban areas

1.2. Current Status and Challenges of Environmental Administration

Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) now collects garbage for almost 60% of the city's households. Inorganic (polythene, plastic, metal, iron, silver, aluminum, paper board/hard board) garbage is recycled through a certain system, which has already been developed in the city area. Organic garbage is used for producing "Organic fertilizer" through composting, and the remaining hard garbage particles are utilized for producing "Firewood". CCC also has taken many initiatives for beautifying the city and protecting the environment. Much of this is done through the plantation project, planting saplings in city parks and gardens, open-spaces, and along roads, medians, roundabouts, footpaths, hill sides, and river banks. Moreover, CCC has programs to make school children aware of the plantation and environmental activities in the city. At the same time, CCC organizes a "Plantation Fair" every year for motivating common people towards the plantation activities.

However, the urban areas still experience critical environmental and pollution problems, since the City has not been developed in a planned manner and proper urban planning guidelines have not been implemented. The challenges of environmental administration that the city faces are as follows.

1. Rapid growth of slum areas: Unplanned and haphazard growth of slum areas is taking place at different locations, which is polluting the urban environment.
2. Industrial waste: Tanneries, garment factories, a steel mill, brick manufacturing and other industries are the cause of considerable pollution. CCC needs a strong policy framework regarding industrial waste management in the near future to address the future demand of the increasing industrial activities in the city;
3. Unplanned hill cutting: Chittagong is a hilly city bound by the Karnaphuly River and the Bay of Bengal. Because of unplanned hill cutting, the greenery in the hills is being destroyed and the hills are being leveled for developing housing settlements. As a result, the drainage systems, canals and the Karnaphuly River are becoming silted. Flash floods occur during the monsoon period which create environmental and health problems. Recently the government has imposed a ban on unauthorized hill cutting. As a result, hill cutting has been reduced to a considerable extent in the city and adjacent areas;
4. Medical and Clinical waste: Chittagong city has some 35 to 40 hospitals, clinics, health centers and nursing homes. Because of the absence of an incineration plant in the city, some hospitals and clinics are disposing their wastes in an unplanned manner. The CCC hospitals, maternity hospitals and health centers treat their own medical wastes properly. However the private hospitals/clinics create a great threat to the public health in the city since they dump their medical wastes improperly.

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2. Action Plan

2.1. Introduction

Chittagong is a city of high density experiencing the related urban problems of solid waste management and environmental pollution in some of the peripheral locations. The central part of the city is inhabited by around 25000 people/Sq. Km.. Unplanned development along with hill cutting and destruction of green areas are taking place in the city where land prices are very high. We need to address the problems from the City as well as community level.

2.2. Solid Waste Management

The following programs can be undertaken to address the garbage disposal problems in the city areas:

1. The City Wards' disposal of garbage in the Open Dustbins will be brought under Community Level Management, and the Tri-cycle "Rickshaw Van" services can be introduced in those communities as soon as possible.
2. Motivational programs will be undertaken to educate house wives, house maids, school children and common people through Community Meetings, leaflets, mailing etc. under the guidance of Ward Commissioners.
3. Dustbins polluting the surrounding environment will be removed from the communities to the Primary and Secondary road locations, where City Corporation vehicles enter and carry the garbage.4. People's participation is essential for this type of activity and Social and Community Organizations will be developed under the leadership of Social Elites like Retired Govt. Officials, University/College Teachers, Religious Leaders, Senior Citizens, and Business men.
4. NGO and private level initiatives will be encouraged to accelerate the speed of the process.
5. Private hospital, clinics, and health centers in the city will be motivated and compelled to destroy their garbage in a safe manner. At the same time we need to exert pressure on the central government though the Civil Societies/Professional Bodies and Political Parties to establish an INCINERATION PLANT in Chittagong immediately.

2.3. Plantation / Greening Programs

Although the plantation and greening programs are executed successfully in the central city areas, some of the peripheral areas still witness hill cutting and damage to the green areas. The following programs which address the problem with the help of community participation and social awareness will be undertaken:

1. Steering Committees will be formed at the City Ward level under the leadership of the Ward Commissioners to implement and carry out the plantation program in the city wards.
2. Training programs will be undertaken among the volunteers, housewives, and school children to educate them on greening activities.
3. Plantation activities will be carried out under the Ward commissioners that are responsible for ensuring the participation of the local population and for the monitoring of the activities as well.
4. NGO and private sector involvement will be encouraged along with the respective community people.
5. Programs will be undertaken to encourage community people to carry out and take part in the plantation activities in their own localities (such as road sides, parks, gardens, road medians, open-spaces etc.) The "Plantation Fair" will be arranged locally at the City Ward level to motivate people in favor of urban plantation activities.

2.4. Action Plan by Quarters