DNCC stagnant in absence of mayor

Activities at the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) have slowed down in the last month, as it is operating without a mayor since Atiqul Islam resigned from the post on December 30 to contest the upcoming city polls.

Monitoring of mosquito control activities have taken a back seat, while eviction drives to free up encroached roads and footpaths have also been halted, according to officials.

As per the Election Commission rules, if any mayor takes part in polls, they will have to tender their resignation to the authorities concerned from their current post.

In his absence -- according to the City Corporation Act 2009, the chief executive officer of DNCC is playing the role as the chief of the organisation.

All routine work -- like garbage management, road repairing, mosquito control activities, issuing certificates like for birth and death -- have been going on, said an official of DNCC.

Activities like eviction drives to make roads, footpaths  and DNCC land free from encroachers have been stopped for the last month due to absence of a mayor, another official said, wishing not to be named.

Political influence is a very important factor while conducting eviction drive, said another DNCC official. He said activities to control mosquito population have been going on, although there is a lack of monitoring as election for the posts of  councilors are also coming up, and most councillors have resigned to contest in the polls.

He said DNCC authorities held a  meeting recently incorporating relevant experts under the leadership of  chief executive officer, to find a solution to control mosquito.

Shariful Islam, a resident of Mirpur, told this newspaper yesterday that the mosquito nuisance has worsened in his area in recent weeks. Meanwhile, no new projects are being taken by the authorities concerned during this time, an official said, preferring not to be named. 

According to rules of the Election Commission, no new development works are allowed after announcement of election schedule, he said, adding that the city corporation is also not allowed to provide any allocation, and will not be able to inaugurate any complete works.

The official said they even did not clear the bills for ongoing project works, due to the election commission’s restrictions. But yesterday they received clearance from the EC in this regard, but have not decided whether they will clear bills of the contractors.

He said 10 development projects -- including park development and road repairing -- have been going on.

Additional chief engineer of DNCC Mohammad Sharif Uddin said they are not facing any major problem due to the “brief absence of the mayor”, as “all the hands of mayor are still active.”

He said though they are not taking any new projects due to the bar of election commission, they are continuing works of all 10 ongoing projects.

All zones of DNCC have been running under zonal executive officers and all departments -- like health, engineering, revenue, garbage management, planning, accounting and estate -- have been running under the leadership of its chiefs, DNCC source said.