The dust pollution in Dhaka city is almost three times higher than the permissible limit during dry season, reports UNB.
Environment and forests minister Anwar Hossain Manju on Sunday said this in parliament.
“According to a study report, the level of dust pollution (particulate matter-PM10) is the highest 499 ugm/m3 in the dry season in Dhaka city, while the permissible level is 150 ugm/m3 ,” he said.
He was replying to a unstarred (written) question from Awami League MP M Abdul Latif (Chittagong-11).
The department of environment with the help of Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NIAR) conducted a study in Dhaka city to assess the level of air pollution and define the sources of the pollution take effective measures to check the air pollution, the minister said.
As per the study findings, the major sources of dust pollution are brick kilns (58pc dust) located in surrounding areas of the city, construction materials (18 pc) and vehicles (10pc), he added.
In reply to a starred question from ruling party MP AKM Shahjahan Kamal, the minister said the government has drafted the National Environment Policy 2017, the Environment Conservation Rules 2017 and Waste Management Rules 2017 and e-Waste Rules 2017 as part of the efforts to conserve the environment.
He also mentioned a number of environment-related laws adopted by the present government since 2009.
Anwar said a total of 4,198 brick kilns, which used to pollute the environment badly, have been modernised with the use of advance technology to check the pollution in the country.
He said the government allocated a total of Tk 31 billion for the Climate Change Trust Fund from 2009-10 fiscal year to 2016-17 fiscal year.
With the Climate Change Trust Fund, some 501 projects have so far been taken and 213 implemented successfully, the minister said.