Wasa eviction drive hits snags
Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) could not complete restoration of the Kalyanpur canal and its branches through frequent eviction drives as the government is yet to acquire land and cancel leases of land to the private sector.
The city's north-eastern part cannot be freed from waterlogging unless Kalyanpur main canal and its branches are restored fully, Wasa officials said.
Zahirul Alam, chief of the drainage wing of Wasa, said the total length of the Kalyanpur main canal and its 6 branches is about 8 kilometres and Wasa is conducting eviction drives for widening the canals according to the drainage master plan.
“It's impossible to drain water through the existing narrow sewerage pipes. The canals should be there in sound condition to get rid of waterlogging,” he said.
Filling up of land by the Roads and Highways Department and land lease to private sector at the south-western side of Kalyanpur bridge obstruct water flow through the main canal while the six branch canals are not in a good condition.
According to the master plan, Kalyanpur main canal between Agargaon and Kalyanpur pump station should be at least 60 feet wide while the branch canals 30 feet each.
Kalyanpur “Ka” canal has been chocked by land filling behind Beauty Cinema near Gabtoli. The canal passes through land of ex-lawmaker SA Khaleq.
The government has not acquired the land as it has an agreement with Khaleq who is supposed to maintain the canal with his own expenditure. The place is now occupied with huge structures. Wasa eviction team visited the spot but did not remove them.
Wasa demarcated Kalyanpur 'Kha' canal in 2005. On March 29 this year it conducted a drive and demolished at least 13 structures.
Kalyanpur 'Ga' canal has already vanished from the map of the government. The one and a half kilometres long canal was between Habuler Pukur at Paikpara and Astina.
Absence of this canal is now causing heavy waterlogging in Paikpara and Monipur areas. Wasa engineers said the canal have to be dug again to prevent the waterlogging.
Kalyanpur 'Gha' canal in Monipur is in good condition. Wasa cleaned the canal by demolishing12 structures on May 14. Wasa did not demolish two permanent structures on the canal. Officials said they could not do it due to 'lack of time'.
Kalyanpur 'Uma' and 'Cha' canals were restored in 2005. These canals were cleaned again through recent eviction drives. Twenty structures including a madrasa were demolished during the drives.
Wasa officials said they were trying at their level best to restore the canals but facing different kinds of obstacles.
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