Illegal structures along Buriganga channel, Dhaka canals to be evicted: LGRD minister

LGRD Minister M Tazul Islam today said structures built illegally in the capital that encroach upon canals and the original Buriganga channel will be evicted.

Tazul Islam said this while talking to reporters after a meeting held at the conference room of the Local Government Department at the ministry on formulating an integrated action plan for drainage of rainwater and management of natural canals in Dhaka city.

The minister said all the grabbed areas will be identified in steps in line with the Cadastral Survey (CS) and Revisional Survey (RS) with the coordinated efforts of all concerned including the Ministry of Public Works and the deputy commissioner of Dhaka.

The minister expressed hope that the Dhaka North and South city corporations would carry out eviction drives in collaboration with all other concerned institutions of the government and the two mayors would be successful in this regard.

The meeting also discussed the issue of handing over the responsibility of the canals in the capital to the two city corporations and decided holding an inter-ministerial meeting to this end.

The LGRD minister said the canals were handed over to the two city corporations not just to ensure rainwater drainage and cleaning of the canals, but also to renovate the illegally occupied canals and free the city from waterlogging.

Replying to a query on whether canals under the Ministry of Public Works and other government agencies would be handed over to the city corporations, the minister said the responsibility of canals has been given to the two city corporations from WASA as the people's representative bodies will be more responsible.

The meeting was attended by Dhaka North Mayor Atiqul Islam, Dhaka South Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, senior secretary to the Local Government Department, WASA Managing Director Taksim A Khan, RAJUK Chairman Saeed Noor Alam, CEOs of two city corporations, and other officials.

On December 31, the responsibility of drainage of rainwater in the capital was officially handed over from Dhaka WASA to Dhaka North and South city corporations.