The Lohalia and Lawakathi rivers in the district town are becoming polluted due to dumping of waste in the two rivers by the municipality, endangering biodiversity and many species of fish. Lohalia river plays a vital role in removing waste from the town and also in communication with Dhaka and Payra port. Locals said there were 21 canals connected to the Lohalia and Lawkathi rivers, but most of them have turned into drains due to grabbing of their banks. Over 10 tonnes of garbage are dumped daily on Lohalia river bank in Puran bazar area and on Lawkathi river bank at Swanirvar road area as the municipality does not have a dumping site. During high tide, the garbage mixes with the river water and pollutes it. Launches and trawlers also pollute the rivers with fuel. Rahmat Ali Majhee of Lohalia area said they used to catch hilsa, koral, pangas in the rivers as they were abundant, but now the rivers are empty as the fish have left due to water pollution. He maintained his family by fishing in the rivers about 25 to 30 years ago, but he had to change his occupation as there are no fish here, he said, adding that several thousand fishermen have changed their occupation. Sobhan Gazi of the same area said both rivers are silting up as thousands of polythene bags also fall into the rivers and tidal water floods both banks of the rivers during the rainy season. Convener of local Coastal Environment Protection Committee S M Delwar Hossain Dilip said the town developed due to the Lohalia and Lawkathi rivers, but now people are polluting them by throwing all kinds of wastes, including household wastes. Associate Professor of the environment science department of Patuakhali Science and Technology University Md Nurul Amin said pollutants like poisonous nitrogen and phosphorus increase due to the waste matter in the water. Because of this, biodiversity is destroyed and fish leave the rivers as oxygen in the water decreases on a large scale, he added. The municipality should takes immediate steps to reduce pollution by setting up a water treatment plant and also a waste management project to save the rivers, he suggested. Assistant Professor of fisheries department of the same university Md Jahangir Alam said the Lohalia and Lawkathi rivers are under threat as their waters have become poisonous. Conservancy Inspector of the municipality Muktipodo Nandi said all the waste water in the town of around one lakh people falls into the Lohalia and Lawkathi rivers as there is no water treatment plant. They have to dump waste on the river banks as there is no dumping site, he added.