Punish river grabbers
Speakers at a rally yesterday said the government must protect rivers and canals immediately from grabbers and polluters and deal the perpetrators with exemplary punishment.
They also demanded rapid execution of the recent High Court directives for protection of the dying rivers, says a press release.
At the rally organised by Paribesh Bachao Andolon (Paba) and WBB Trust near Kanchpur Bridge on the Shitalakhya, the speakers said it would not be possible to save rivers unless the grabbers and polluters are dealt with exemplary punishment.
They demanded permanent eviction of the encroachers of the Shitalakhya and called for raising public awareness with inspirational songs as a campaign.
Shitalakhya, like other rivers around the city, is about to die due to ruthless grabbing and pollution and negligence of the authorities, they said, 10 acres of land around Kanchpur Bridge have not yet been reclaimed, as the river area has not been demarcated.
It seems that the river recovery drives are mere eyewash, as the authorities evict the encroachers on the one hand, they said, while the grabbers keep occupying the rivers, canals and water bodies on the other.
It implies waste of public resources and failure of the government's endeavour, the speakers added.
They demanded declaration of rivers, canals and water bodies as protected area, formation of a high-powered committee, demarcation of rivers, prevention of encroachment and pollution, navigability and reclamation of river channel.
Abu Naser Khan of Paba, Syed Mahbubul Alam of WBB Trust, Aminul Rasul of Unnayan Dhara and Tushar Rehman of Citizens' Rights Movement spoke at the rally.
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