Wasa knocks down 50 structures

Workers in red headbands pull down illegal structures on encroached lands of Kalyanpur canal at Agargaon yesterday, marking the launch of a Wasa drive to restore unhindered flow along the city's drainage canals to avoid waterlogging during the rains. PHOTO: STAR

The much-awaited drive by the Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) for restoring unhindered flow of the drainage canals to free the capital from waterlogging in rainy season began yesterday with the demolition of illegal structures on Kalyanpur canal and its branches.

Some 50 bamboo-made houses and parts of several semi-pucca houses and boundary walls were demolished during the drive conducted in Agargaon Janata Housing area under Kafrul and Mirpur police stations.

Another drive will be conducted soon to remove the remaining structures on the main canal and branch canals.

A Wasa demolition squad along with 50 police personnel including 10 policewomen led by two magistrates started its operation at 10:30am. The team first demarcated the canal areas with rope and red flags and then went for bulldozing the illegal structures.

Wasa Managing Director ANH Akhter Hossain also visited the spot.

Some house owners, including a ward commissioner and government high officials, yesterday promised to remove their illegal encroachment soon while some others protested the drive, Wasa officials said.

A Wasa survey with the assistance of the district administration earlier detected 23 illegal structures that also include multi-storied buildings.

Wasa sources said the drive aims to demolish illegal structures on eight canals, including the Kalyanpur canal, on a priority basis this year. The rest are Begunbari canal, Mohakhali canal, Zirani canal in Rampura, Katasur canal in Mohammadpur, Ramchandrapur canal in Mohammadpur, Ibrahimpur canal and Gulshan-Banani Lake.

An inter-ministerial meeting at the LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry in February decided to remove all sorts of encroachment on the canals in and around the capital for smooth functioning of the drainage system. The Wasa drive is in pursuance of that decision.

Joynal Abedin, who owns a plot beside Kalyanpur canal, said, " We also want an end to illegal encroachment but the canal should be properly demarcated".

The drive began without any prior notice following 'hefty payment' by some interested people, alleged Altaf Hossain, general secretary of Janata Housing.

Of the 43 canals in the capital, 26 are recognisable. But only 19 of them still have lean flow due to encroachment, Wasa officials said.

The Wasa has 65-km canals, 225-km pipelines and nine-km box culverts for drainage. Its drainage system covers about 140 square kilometres inside the city flood protection embankment.