UNB, Dhaka :
Dhaka WASA has launched a 10-year dredging programme to clean up canals and box culverts in the capital to
ensure smooth discharge of storm water to make city free from urban flooding and water-logging.
Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) initiated the programme on Wednesday using modern Dutch technology and equipments to help reduce water-logging in the city. The programme has started under the partnership between Dhaka WASA and Vitens Evides International, Netherlands.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan formally launched the Urban Dredging Demonstration Project (UDDP) while Senior Secretary of the Local Government Division Monzur Hossain and Dutch Ambassador in Dhaka Gerben de Jong were present at the function, a WASA press release said on Thursday.
The equipments, including floating bulldozers, excavators and micro-bulldozers, are being used in the cleaning work which was earlier done manually.
Dhaka WASA will continue the programme for the next 10 years to free the capital from water-logging, the release said.
Dhaka City experiences water-logging each year during monsoon and is, therefore, heavily dependent on a well-functioning drainage system for storm water. Based on the water-logging experience in the Netherlands, Dhaka WASA and Vitens Evides International decided to start-up a dredging demonstration project to keep the drainage systems functioning smoothly.
The main goal of the project is to improve the situation in the capital by demonstrating dredging expertise and equipments, based on the latest modern dredging technology from the Netherlands.
Dhaka WASA sources said dredging has already started in Kallyanpur Canal together with the training of WASA staff. Improving the capacity of Dhaka WASA Drainage Circle is an important part of the project.
An intensive training programme is designed to train management, work planners, supervisors and operators in preparing, executing and maintaining the dredging activities, they said.
The UDDP project is strongly focused on improving the operations of Dhaka WASA to be able to continue cleaning other culverts and canals in Dhaka in the coming 10 years. For this reason, UDDP will also introduce smart monitoring system for operation and maintenance and will help WASA prepare and approve a long-term Urban Dredging Maintenance Plan.
