Call to save Atir Khal, Haikkar Khal

Save the Environment Movement forms a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the city yesterday with a call to save Haikkar Khal and Atir Khal from the grip of encroachers.Photo: STAR

Environmentalists yesterday formed a human chain in the city with a call to save two canals in and around the city -- Haikkar Khal and Atir Khal -- from the grip of encroachers.
"We are very worried about Haikkar Khal, as the encroachers have put up signs at different points of the canal to claim ownership to lands," said Save the Environment Movement Chairman Abu Naser Khan at the human chain in front of the National Press Club.
Atir Khal, which was flowing by the third Buriganga Bridge, has also become a dying canal, as encroachers continue to fill up different parts of the canal, he added.
Other canals of the city also fell victim to encroachers, he said, adding that a city without canals and water bodies is highly vulnerable to natural disasters like earthquake.
Once the city had 47 canals and most of which were over 150-foot wide, but 25 canals have already disappeared, other speakers said.
The encroachers are filling up the canals taking advantage of negligence of the authorities concerned, they said.
They also demanded immediate action against the encroachers.
Secretary general of Peace Ifma Hossain, secretary general of Citizen Rights Movement Tushar Rehman, project official of WBB Trust Ziaul Haque Litu, President of Nagarbasi Shangathan Haji Ansar Ali, Hafizur Rahman Mayna and Gazi Lutful Kabir Suman also spoke.