Tannery waste was being discharged through the Shital Jhorna, Northern canal and the Baman Shahi canal, which fed into the Karnaphuli river.
According to reports the owner of the factory was earlier asked to build an effluent treatment plant (ETP), but had failed to do so. DoE inspectors found that the BOD levels from the tannery discharge were many times higher than the legal limit and the pH of the river water was 4.7.
The tannery has been ordered to relocate by January 31, 2011 otherwise the authorities will shut down services such as water, gas and electrical power.
