UNB, Khulna :
Ongoing dredging work in the Moyur river in Khulna has failed to restore its normal flow due to unabated dumping of wastes and accumulation of silt.
Sources concerned said dredging work and release of wastes from different areas of the city into the river through 11 linked canals are going on side by side.
As a result, the river which lost its flow earlier is being filled up with wastes again.
Officials involved with the river dredging said under the project, no measures have so far been taken to stop discharge of wastes into the river through the canals.
They predicted that amid such situation, though the river is being dredged, its benefits will not last long.
Sources at the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) said following the long-time demand of local people, KCC took up a project to dredge 22 rivers, including the Moyur, to resolve water-logging problem in the city.
Financed by Asian Development Bank, the project titled ‘Nagar Anchal Unnayan (City Area Development) is being implemented jointly by Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) and KCC.
Under the project, about 5,900 kilometre area of the Moyur river will be dredged up at a cost of Tk 5.78 crore and 51 thousand.
The KCC mayor inaugurated the excavation works in the river on February 3 this year.
Construction firm Jamil Iqbal JV (Joint venture) is carrying out the excavation work.
Asked about the progress of the river dredging, sources at the project office said in the last six months till August, about 4 kilometres stretch of the river from Boyra Shashan (cremation) ghat to Nirala Khabarkhana has been dredged.
They, however, said about 50 metre stretch of the river on both sides of Gollamari Bridge is yet to be excavated.
During a visit to the river to observe the dredging work, the UNB correspondent found no chain (demarcation) mark in every 100-metre dredged area of the river as per the rule.
Ongoing dredging work in the Moyur river in Khulna has failed to restore its normal flow due to unabated dumping of wastes and accumulation of silt.
Sources concerned said dredging work and release of wastes from different areas of the city into the river through 11 linked canals are going on side by side.
As a result, the river which lost its flow earlier is being filled up with wastes again.
Officials involved with the river dredging said under the project, no measures have so far been taken to stop discharge of wastes into the river through the canals.
They predicted that amid such situation, though the river is being dredged, its benefits will not last long.
Sources at the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) said following the long-time demand of local people, KCC took up a project to dredge 22 rivers, including the Moyur, to resolve water-logging problem in the city.
Financed by Asian Development Bank, the project titled ‘Nagar Anchal Unnayan (City Area Development) is being implemented jointly by Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) and KCC.
Under the project, about 5,900 kilometre area of the Moyur river will be dredged up at a cost of Tk 5.78 crore and 51 thousand.
The KCC mayor inaugurated the excavation works in the river on February 3 this year.
Construction firm Jamil Iqbal JV (Joint venture) is carrying out the excavation work.
Asked about the progress of the river dredging, sources at the project office said in the last six months till August, about 4 kilometres stretch of the river from Boyra Shashan (cremation) ghat to Nirala Khabarkhana has been dredged.
They, however, said about 50 metre stretch of the river on both sides of Gollamari Bridge is yet to be excavated.
During a visit to the river to observe the dredging work, the UNB correspondent found no chain (demarcation) mark in every 100-metre dredged area of the river as per the rule.
