More attention for Hatirjheel to keep it clean

THE scenic Hatirjheel-Begunbari Lake area, with drive-way and other infrastructure for recreation of city dwellers is steadily losing its charm and beauty due to lack of proper maintenance and unbearable contamination of lake water sending stink in the locality. Then piles of garbage in open space and human discharge are adding to give the area a dirty look. Once planned as a most attractive recreation place in the city center with boating facility in lake water and open air breathing in lakeside facilities, Hatirjheel is now stinky with contaminated black water in the lake. It has lost much of its excel largely for mismanagement by the concerned city corporation officials.

Meanwhile, the long drive way has become traffic gridlock points at many places where evening drives of pastime makers were more on the card. It is sad such a beautiful place has become wandering place for criminals and outlawed in the evening. We must say immediate actions are required to make the lake clean and its environment healthy for recreation loving people who gather in the spot every afternoon.

We must say a co-ordinated and comprehensive plan is very essential at the moment for the lake, which also allows transportation from Karwan Bazar to Rampura TV Station area and beyond. A luxury bus service is transporting passengers and gives them a panoramic look of the lake. The lake also linked the city sewerage system to Balu river and Shitalakkhya in the East.

The New Nation reported on the dilapidated condition of the lake and its surrounding on Wednesday highlighting how dirty water from other canals is pouring in the lake through at least 13 points. Under the project, a filtering system has been installed at the entrance of the sewage line to stop solid wastes from entering the lake. But in the rainy season, the filtering net remained almost blocked from huge solid wastes. So water flowed back and caused water blockage in the areas and dirty water cause rot to lake water.

Experts’ opinion suggests that the existing sewerage system is not effective to keep the lake water clean. Moreover, there is a strong possibility that the wastewater will cause sedimentation in the bottom of the lake to add to another problem. The water filtering system must be improved and action must be in hands so that they don’t get blocked to block the movement of water down to the rivers.

The lake project over 304 acres of land at the center of Dhaka city is a wonder project but it appears to be a public heath hazard soon if its cleaning and proper maintenance are not ensured round the year. In our view the concerned city corporation must take notice of the deteriorating situation and will take quick steps to keep the lake clean and attractive to visitors in the area.