The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved five projects, including the construction of ‘Dasherkandi Sewerage Treatment Plant’ with an outlay of Tk 3,317.77 crore aiming to build improved sewerage facilities for the growing number of city dwellers.
The approval was given at the 5th Ecnec meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal today said a total of five projects were approved today with an overall outlay of Tk 6,553.01 crore.
“Of the total project cost, Tk 3,947.64 crore will come from the national exchequer, Tk 17.85 crore from the organizations own fund while Tk 2,587.52 crore as project assistance,” of the approved five projects, four are new while one is revised project.
The Planning Minister said the main objective of ‘Dasherkandi Sewerage Treatment Plant’ project is to treat the sewerage of the area through modern method alongside protecting the environment of the area and the adjacent Hatirjheel project area.
Dhaka Wasa, under the Local Government Division, will implement the project by December 2019.
Of the total project cost of Tk 3,317.77 crore, Tk 1123.77 crore will come from the national exchequer, Tk 2,184 crore as project assistance from China Exim Bank while Tk 10 crore from the organizations own fund, he said.
Under the project, the sewerage treatment plant would be built at Khilgaon in the city with a capacity of treating 500 million liters of sewerage a day alongside constructing one sewage lifting station.
The Planning Minster said that with the lone sewerage treatment plant at Pagla under Kadamtali thana by the Dhaka Wasa, it is possible to give sewerage facilities to only 20 percent of the city dwellers.
But, considering the growing demand, Dhaka Wasa has recently framed a Master Plan with support from the World Bank where it was suggested to set up 11 sewerage treatment plants in the city. Besides, 60 acres of land have been acquired at Khilgaon for constructing a plant.
Currently, the sewerage of the proposed area is being drained to the River Shitalakhya through the River Balu without any treatment. As a result, taking raw water for the Sayedabad Water Treatment Plant from the Sitalakhya River has turned unsafe.
The day’s Ecnec meeting approved another project titled ‘Land development, protection and erecting boundary wall of the 2nd block of Rampal Power Plant project areas’ with Tk 462.57 crore.
Of the total project cost, Tk 454.72 crore will come from the state coffer, Tk 7.85 crore from the organization’s own fund. Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will implement the project by June 2017.
The project also aims to prepare a land for setting up a 1320-MW coal-fired power plant and protect the project site from land grabbing and riverbank erosion. Besides, 1,27,13,000 cubic meters of land will be developed, in addition to constructing 14,000 meters of boundary wall, filling up the project sites through extracting sand from GhasiKhali channel through dredging.
The Ecnec meeting also approved the construction of ‘Bangladesh-Myanmar Moitree Road (Balukhali-Ghundhum) border road construction’ with an outlay of Tk 54.55 crore to be implemented by the Roads and Highways Department by June, 2017.
The proposed road will be constructed at Ukhia upazila in Cox’s Bazar district and Nikhonchhari upazila in Bandarban district.
The project aims to establish direct road link with Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries like China and Thailand improving trade and political relations with Myanmar, increasing security through improving road connectivity in the bordering areas, ensuring tourism development and developing internal road communication.
The other projects approved at the meeting are South Western Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management (2nd phase), with Tk 482.10 crore, Hatirjheel area Integrated Development project including Begunbari Khal with Tk 2,236.02 crore (4th revised).
Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting. Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were also present.
