Mindless beautification to kill B'baria canal
Residents of Brahmanbaria town and environmentalists have continued different protest programmes to stop the mindless beautification project on Brahmanbaria canal flowing through the town and protect it from encroachers.
Following a series of programmes during the last one week, several organisations under the banner of Sachetan Nagorik Samaj yesterday arranged a long human chain in the town demanding cancellation of the 'harmful project'.
They also brought out a procession in the town and held a protest meeting on the bed in a dried up portion of the canal.
Terming the project as harmful for environment and agriculture in the area, 14 union parishad chairmen in the eastern areas of Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila have urged the pourasabha authorities to revise it after consultation with environment specialists.
According to a report of Brahmanbaria survey office, earlier the width of the canal was between 60 feet (about 20 metres) to 120 feet (about 40 metres) while a recent survey report of Brahmanbaria Pourasabha said the width has now come down to between 17 to 29 metres.
The situation has arisen due to sedimentation, leaving garbage and illegal occupation by encroachers on both banks of the canal.
The Tk 6 crore 86 lakh 'beautification project' of Brahmanbaria pourasabha on 4.81 kilometres along both banks of the canal includes setting up of a 1.5-metre wide footpath and flood protection wall along each side of the canal.
There will also be huge sitting arrangement, gardens and tree plantation on the both sides of the canal.
As per the project profile, it will lead to further narrowing down of the canal.
Demanding protection of the canal from encroachers, several socio-cultural organisations including Brahmanbaria Poribesh Bachao Andolan, Titas Bachao Andolan, Five Star Club, Brahmanbaria Zila Nagorik Committee, Brahmanbaria Sacheton Nagorik Committee and SSIT Brahmanbaria held separate programmes in the town during the last one month.
They suggested that the natural canal flowing across Brahmanbaria town be excavated and kept open for navigation and easy flow of rain and food water.
When contacted, Brahmanbaria pourasabha Mayor Md Hafizur Rahman Molla said, “A portion of Brahmanbaria town canal has been temporally filled with sands from Titas River as the project has several positive aspects. The width of canal will remain unchanged as in the previous record while smooth navigation through it will be ensured.”
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