CHATTOGRAM: Construction work on Mirsarai Economic Zone is going on in full swing now despite a series of lockdown imposed nationwide since April to curb the spike in Covid-19 positivity rates after the second wave of the pandemic hit the country early this year.
Meanwhile, Chattogram WASA has taken up a project at a cost of Tk 34 billion (Tk 3,400 crore) to produce and supply 140 million litres of water daily to Mirsarai Economic Zone (MEZ), 70-kilometre away from Chattogram city, the main economic centre of the country.
The MEZ, renamed as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar, is being developed on 30,000 acres of land, expanding from Mirsarai to Sitakunda upazilas of the southeastern district.
After completion of the project by Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, a total of 14 crore litres of safe drinking water to be supplied to the industrial units to be set up at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar every day, sources familiar with the project said.
Sources said, the project will be implemented in two phases. In the phase-2, water treatment facilities will be built at the site of the existing Mohra Water Treatment Plant set up in 1988. Water from the River Halda will be treated in the plant. Besides, if needed, the Chattogram WASA is also considering harnessing water from River Meghna for treatment at this facility.
A feasibility study about harnessing and utilising water from Halda has already been completed, sources said.
"The Chattogram WASA is also considering collecting waters from either of two possible sources, Halda or Meghna," persons having full knowledge of the project said.
Officials said the CWASA appointed the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) in 2019 as a consultant of the project for this regard. The IWM conducted the feasibility study and prepared the DPP or detailed plan of the project.
The 184-page feasibility study has been submitted to the Chattogram office of the Department of Environment (DoE) for its clearance while the DPP has been sent to the Ministry of Planning for its approval.
Meanwhile, the DoE directed the CWASA management to obtain NOC (no objection certificate) from the stakeholders regarding collecting water from Halda River, including the National River Protection Commission, the Fisheries Department under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and the Halda River protection committee.
Chattogram WASA Managing Director Engineer A K M Fazlullah told the FE that through this project, the CWASA will be supplying water to the MEZ daily for using in industrial units.
"We have appointed the consulting firm and they are working accordingly. We can also collect water from either River Halda or River Meghna. We will collect the water as per feasibility report of the experts," he said.
He also mentioned that the government has already declared Halda River as Bangabandhu Fish Heritage.
"It made the announcement attaching 12 conditions with it to protect natural environment (and preserve eco-diversity) as well as to develop the environmental standard to ensure safety of carp fishes. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock published a circular on December 22 last year in this connection. So, we will follow the directives of government regarding collecting of water from Halda," he added.
In last year, Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) set up a 17-kilometre-long pipeline to supply gas to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar, under a project styled "Construction of Gas Pipelines for the MEZ".
The new gas pipeline is now ready for supplying natural gas to the economic zone. Primarily, the demand of gas at the MEZ is 500 million cft or mmcft. But later, the demand is expected to increase to 750 million cft after all industries of the project goes into full operation after its completion.
Of the total demand of natural gas, the MEZ will use a total of 40 million cft gas for production of power.
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