Environment ministry wants shutting down Shela River route in Sundarbans

The government has recommended permanently shutting down the Shela River route in the Sundarbans.

Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) suggestion comes nearly a week after an oil-tanker sank there spilling 350,000 litres of furnace oil.

Officials say the oil has spread over 50 kilometres as environmentalists fear it will wreak havoc on the world's largest mangrove forest's ecology.

The MoEF last Wednesday prohibited using the route until further notice.

After Sunday's inter ministerial meeting, Deputy Minister Abdullah Al Islam Jakob said they had recommended closing the Shela River route permanently.

Locals have been collecting the oil and selling them to state-owned Padma Oil at Tk 30 per litre.

The meeting also urges the health ministry to inspect whether the locals face possible health hazards.

Jakob said they had recommended raising the oil purchase price to encourage more people to take part in the mopping up operations.

About 300 workers are collecting the spilled oil with 100 boats.

Ministry's acting Secretary Khandakar Rakibur Rahman said extent of damage on Sundarbans would be clear once their probe committee reported its findings.

No decision has been taken on using foreign experts to curb environment pollution.

He rubbished a media report that claimed the oil had spilled to around 300 km area.

"Oil has spread between 40 and 50 kilometres of area," he claimed.

A 31-km stretch of the Shela and Pashur rivers is dolphin sanctuary. They are mostly seen near a breeding centre for the wildlife along the Pashur River.

He said dolphins had been spotted in the Shela River on Saturday and claimed they did not show any abnormal signs.

"International dolphin expert Mr Brian and another from Bangladesh wrote that they had seen dolphins [in the river].

"They did not see oil stains on the dolphins or notice any abnormal behaviour," Rahman claimed.