Recover 13 canals from grabbers
The river saving taskforce of the government has asked Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) to free its 13 canals from illegal occupants.
The directive came at a taskforce meeting chaired by Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan at his office yesterday.
The decision comes as Dhaka dwellers still shudder at the memory of flooded streets in monsoon.
Experts blame filling-up of canals and other water bodies for the waterlogging. The Wasa is in charge of maintaining 26 canals flowing through the city.
The taskforce also directed the WASA authority to properly maintain 13 canals freed earlier from illegal occupants.
In yesterday's meeting speakers said in the late 70s and early 80s the city was blessed with water flowing in over 50 canals. But almost half of them have ceased to exist.
The remaining 26 canals are barely surviving, thanks to unabated encroachments, mindless dumping of solid wastes and sheer negligence of the authorities. They have lost their width and depth.
Wasa currently maintains Kalyanpur, Katasur, Ramchandpur, Abdullahpur, Diyabari, Digun, Gulshan-Banani, Mohakhali, Hazaribagh, Begunbari, Khilgaon-Basabo, Manda, Sutivola, Badda-Shahjadpur, Rupnagar, Baisteki, Kalshi, Bouniya, Ibrahimpur, Mirpur-14 Housing and Jirani canals in the capital.
Shamsur Rahman Sharif, land minister; Anisul Islam Mahmud, water minister; Maj (Retd) Rafiqul Islam Bir Uttam, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee for the shipping ministry, among others were present at the taskforce meeting.
It was also decided that a survey on the foreshore of rivers and placing pillars to demarcate them would continue. Encroachers on old Buriganga river would be evicted following the survey.
Complaints regarding the pillars placed earlier would be addressed. Moreover, action would be taken against those who uproot the pillars.
The taskforce also directed the ministry of industry to establish central effluent treatment plants for tanneries in Savar.
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