Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) on Monday directed the government to prepare an action plan for recovering 50 canals under the two city corporations of Dhaka by demarcating areas as per their original flow from encroachment.
The court ordered the authorities to submit the action plan and report before the HC on July 1, 2018 and fixed July 2 for passing further order on the matter.
The High Court bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice J B M Hassan passed the order following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) seeking necessary directives to protect the city’s canals which are reportedly encroached by land grabbers and polluted.
The court ordered to prepare a report on the status and position of the canals, including Shegunbagicha canal, Katasur canal, Kallyanpur canal and Khilgaon canal.
The authorities were ordered to regulate pollutants of the canals and ensure proper maintenance.
The court also issued a rule asking the authorities to explain why their failure to protect the canal from encroachment, obstruction and pollution should not be declared illegal.
Mayors of Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation, Director General of the Department of Environment, Managing Director of Dhaka WASA, Director General of Bangladesh Water Development Board, Chairman of RAJUK and Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka will make the action plan and report, according to a press release of Bela.
Advocate Minhazul Huq Chowdhury and Advocate Saeed Ahmed Kabir took part in the hearing on behalf of Bela.
