HC seeks list of grabbers of Rayer Khal in Barisal

The High Court yesterday ordered the authorities concerned to submit a list of structures, which were built filling up historical Lakutia canal, known as Rayer Khal, in Barisal, in six weeks.

Responding to a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), the court also asked the authorities to submit a report on environment impact assessment of the sluice gate, constructed on the canal, within the same time frame.

Besides, it issued a rule upon the authorities to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to take necessary steps to save the canal.

Secretaries to the ministries of land, environment and forest, water resources, and local government rural development and cooperatives, chairman of national river protection commission, director generals of  environment directorate and water development board, chief engineer of local government engineering department, deputy commissioner of Barisal, director of environment directorate, Barisal, upazila nirbahi officer of Barisal Sadar, and assistant commissioner (land) of upazila land office, Barisal, have been made the respondents.

Citing from the petitioner's statement, Our Barisal correspondent reports that the six kilometre-long Rayer Khal was excavated in Lakutia Zamindar Bari in mid-British period and it joined with Jail Khal in Natun Bazar area of Barisal city, connecting the Kirtankhola river with Sugandha and Taltali rivers.

Locals and environment activists have long been conducting movements to save the canal from grabbers, encroachers and waste-dumpers who in the name of different public and private "development works" have turned the Rayer Khal into a narrow  sewerage drain, Bela official said.