NAME of 46742 people and entities has been come out in a reports sent to National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) by the Deputy Commissioners of 61 districts. The number of river and canal grabbers would be increased after the reports from Mymensingh, Panchagarh and Gaibandha reached. Since July 24, the Commission started publishing the lists of grabbers of the rivers and canals sent to them by the District Administrations. Influential people like politicians, businessmen and musclemen have mostly occupied the river land in collaboration with government officials. The Commission had asked the Deputy Commissioners following a High Court order.
In February, the High Court in its verdict disqualified the grabbers from contesting the elections and from borrowing money from the banks. In the reports sent by the Deputy Commissioners, the highest number of river grabbers was in Cumilla, followed by Noakhali. In Cumilla, 5,589 grabbers have encroached land on and along 15 rivers including the Meghna, Gumti, Titas and Dakatia while 4,389 people have illegally occupied land on and along Noakhali’s seven rivers including Meghna, Dakatia and Feni. However, the NRCC is surprised seeing the small number of occupiers in Munshiganj, Narsingdi and Manikganj as all the rivers of the districts had been grabbed. Dhaka Deputy Commissioner sent a list of 959 grabbers, but the Commission officials found it very low compared to the reality.
We appreciate the effort of NRCC by publishing the enemy of rivers and the environment as well. The Deputy Commissioners are the custodian of the respective rivers and canals in their purview. If we fail to ensure the life and flow of the rivers in this downstream country amid the regional and global reality over the water crisis and river diversion project of India, we would be responsible for our demise. The NRCC should be empowered enough to evict all entities on the river banks that impediment the water flow.
In February, the High Court in its verdict disqualified the grabbers from contesting the elections and from borrowing money from the banks. In the reports sent by the Deputy Commissioners, the highest number of river grabbers was in Cumilla, followed by Noakhali. In Cumilla, 5,589 grabbers have encroached land on and along 15 rivers including the Meghna, Gumti, Titas and Dakatia while 4,389 people have illegally occupied land on and along Noakhali’s seven rivers including Meghna, Dakatia and Feni. However, the NRCC is surprised seeing the small number of occupiers in Munshiganj, Narsingdi and Manikganj as all the rivers of the districts had been grabbed. Dhaka Deputy Commissioner sent a list of 959 grabbers, but the Commission officials found it very low compared to the reality.
We appreciate the effort of NRCC by publishing the enemy of rivers and the environment as well. The Deputy Commissioners are the custodian of the respective rivers and canals in their purview. If we fail to ensure the life and flow of the rivers in this downstream country amid the regional and global reality over the water crisis and river diversion project of India, we would be responsible for our demise. The NRCC should be empowered enough to evict all entities on the river banks that impediment the water flow.
