Staff Reporter :
The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has stepped in to rescue the occupied part of the Rupnagar canal in the capital. On Sunday morning, a drive is underway to evict illegal establishments on both sides of Road No. 23 adjacent to Rupnagar Canal.
Atiqul Islam, the mayor of DNCC, recently issued a stern warning against illegal occupants, saying the occupation should be vacated as soon as possible. Otherwise, illegal installations will be demolished by conducting operations without notice.
Following that issued, the DNCC has launched a surprise operation to evict all illegal structures on both sides of the Rupnagar canal.
Earlier, the city corporation had informed the government about removing the illegal establishments.
Campaign was officially launched to restore the flow of canal water to Dhaka City by handing over the responsibility of canal water drainage (canal and drainage) from Dhaka WASA to two city corporations.
The DNCC resumed operations from Sunday after the operation was stopped for some time due to Corona pandemic.
It is learned that DNCC has taken various initiatives to rescue the canal and restore its water flow as well as to change the look of the canal in terms of aesthetics. The DNCC is working accordingly.
Earlier, the DNCC removed 9,300 tonnes of waste from 14 canals including Sagufta Canal, Ramchandrapur Canal, Ibrahimpur Canal, Godagari Canal and Rupnagar Canal in the first two months.
The DNCC wants to connect these canals with four rivers.
Apart from this, a project has been taken to raise several bridges from Hatirjheel to Kalachandpur, Banani Cemetery, Karail slum. Which is reported to be in process in the local government department.
On the other hand, DNCC has formed a coordination cell with various officials to manage canals, culverts, storm water drains and cleaning activities affiliated to DNCC after entrusting two city corporations from Dhaka WASA to drain rainwater to alleviate waterlogging.
DNCC Public Relations Officer Abul Bashar Mohammad Tajul Islam said the DNCC had launched an operation on Sunday to restore the Rupnagar canal and evict illegal structures.
Under this operation, illegal structures on both sides of Rupnagar canal will be evicted.
It is learned that the DNCC will work in three steps to beautify the canal by demarcating it and the boundaries.
In that case, the work will be done in short, medium and long term. First the canal will be vacated and the water flow will be restored by removing the waste.
The company will then plant trees on the banks of the canal, walkways and bicycle lanes step by step.
There are 26 canals in the DNCC area on paper. The DNCC wants to work first to demarcate the two banks and clear the canal by removing illegal establishments.
