Recovery starts, finally

SCC Executive Engineer AKM Lutfur Rahman (extreme left) and ward Commissioner Sikandar Ali (third in the row), look on as workers dismantle an illegal wall on Gaviar Khal at Billpar in Sylhet city.Photo: STAR

At last, Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) yesterday started work for recovery of grabbed parts of Gaviar Khal (canal) to improve the city's drainage system.
The work began with removal of an illegal wall in Billpar area, built by encroaching the canal, SCC sources said.
Initially, Tk one crore will be spent for recovery of Gaviar Khal and some other canals.
SCC Executive Engineer AKM Luthfur Rahman told the Daily Star, “We have started work for recovery of the much talked about Gaviar Khal in Kuarpar area at first.
Demarcation of the grabbed parts, erecting concrete pillars and construction of retention walls at some important points will cost Tk 80 lakh”, he added.
Due to fund constraint, it is not possible to construct pucca walls on both banks of the canal to protect it from grabbers in future, the official said. Recovery of some more canals in the city will start soon at a cost of Tk 20 lakh.
SCC Executive Engineer said CS records will be followed in the recovery work.
He however noted that response from local people in this regard was encouraging. A number of people voluntarily vacated occupied spaces attached to their houses--even some of them allowed dismantling pucca constructions, the chief engineer said.
To free the city from water-logging, SCC is waiting for final approval for a Tk 11 crore project by LGRD ministry, although it got initial nod, SCC officials said. Implementation of the project will take two years, they said.
The project also includes improvement of overall drainage system by re-excavating and building drainage structures on the nine main natural streams locally called chhara. Once restored, those will be protected from encroachment in future, they said.
Chief Executive Officer of SCC Kazi Abdul Nur said after recovery, permanent demarcation pillars and walls will be built along all the canals.
Besides, the channels will be lined up to ensure quick disposal of water, he said.
The streams include Malni Chhera, Goali Chhera, Mongli Chhera, Kalibari Chhera, Bhubi Chhera, Boloramer Khal, Ratnar Khal, Haldi Chhera and Bashu Khal.
Allegations have it that besides local influential people, some ward commissioners are also directly or indirectly involved in grabbing the canals.
The department of Environment Engineering of Shahjalal University of Science & Technology (SUST) in a report last year said Sylhet city is in a great threat of environmental disaster due to grabbing of natural canals.