Staff Reporter :
Green activists on Saturday urged the concerned authorities to take immediate recovery measures of the city’s canals to ensure their free flow of waters and keep them alive.
They also demanded exemplary punishment for the illegal grabbers of the city canals as well asad severe action against them to prevent building of any new infrastructures in the canal’s spaces. Besides, they also demanded eviction of the existing structures.
The green activists said this at a human chain organized by Poribesh Bachao Andolan (POBA) along with 12 other green organisations in front of the Dhaka University Fine Arts Department yesterday.
Nagorik Adhikar Songrokkhon Forum (NASF) President Hafizur Rahman, its General Secretary Tayeb Ali, POBA Chairman Abu Naser Khan, its Secretary Ferdous Ahmed Ujjal, Co-Secretary MA Wahed, Barrister Nishat Mahmud, Md Selim, President of Subondhon Somaj Kalyan Songothon Habibur Rahman, President of BD Click Aminul Islam, among others, took part in the programme.
Besides, the leaders of the green activists demanded amendment of policy and laws with proper implementation to keep the city canals grabbing-free, dumping-free, and reassess the canal boundaries in the city.
Abu Naser Khan said if we cannot protect our canals and water bodies, the ecosystem would be vulnerable and the city dwellers would continue to suffer from water logging, lower underground water level, extreme heat and other environmental disasters.
Dhaka District Administration has identified 58 canals among which 37 have been grabbed by RAJUK, government and private organisations, political parties and 248 individuals.
Among 22 canals managed by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) only part of Dholaikhal and Meradia Khal exist. But these two are also highly dumped and polluted. And the rest, roads have been constructed through them by filling earth without considering the eco-system.
“Authorities like DWASA, City Corporations, RAJUK and District Administration responsible for management of these water bodies are not working integrated, they are careless about such important resources,” said Abu Naser Khan.
He said, “Despite having existing policy and laws, canals are vanishing due to active grabbing by the powerful, greedy, selfish, politically-backed persons. Only assurance of exemplary punishment can’t resist the grabbers.”
“Authorities should take regular monitoring campaign, eviction drive and dredging programmes after eviction of the grabbers. Planners should plan infrastructures keeping water bodies alive to be sustainable. Unplanned development is costing city dwellers with sufferings like heavy water logging and destroyed already eco-system in the city, it is high time to rethink,” he suggested.
Hafizur Rahaman said, “There are allegation against the Police Officers’ Multipurpose Cooperative Society that it is developing police housing society in Khilkhet by filling a part of Boalia canal despite notice of RAJUK.”
“The authority has taken new canal digging programme with a budget of Tk 5000 crore in Uttara area. According to RAJUK Chairman, Abdur Rahman, the Police Officers’ Multipurpose Cooperative Society has not taken any action to recover the canal and their housing project work is ongoing. It is high time to end the game and keep alive the city canals,” he said.
According to green activists, lack of awareness, knowledge and coordination among authorities land grabbers are building houses, markets and other facilities on the spaces of the city canals. City canals are disappearing due to heavy and reckless dumping of waste day by day. The lean recovery programme is simply an eye-wash and waste of budget. Authorities should wake up to save the canals and water bodies of the cities to keep development sustainable.
Immediate recovery and dredging programmes along with active monitoring can only help the water bodies, canals and rivers to survive. Pollution free water bodies are not only essential for drainage but to keep environment cool, support ecological balance and develop sustainable ecosystem, which Dhaka city is lacking.
Green activists on Saturday urged the concerned authorities to take immediate recovery measures of the city’s canals to ensure their free flow of waters and keep them alive.
They also demanded exemplary punishment for the illegal grabbers of the city canals as well asad severe action against them to prevent building of any new infrastructures in the canal’s spaces. Besides, they also demanded eviction of the existing structures.
The green activists said this at a human chain organized by Poribesh Bachao Andolan (POBA) along with 12 other green organisations in front of the Dhaka University Fine Arts Department yesterday.
Nagorik Adhikar Songrokkhon Forum (NASF) President Hafizur Rahman, its General Secretary Tayeb Ali, POBA Chairman Abu Naser Khan, its Secretary Ferdous Ahmed Ujjal, Co-Secretary MA Wahed, Barrister Nishat Mahmud, Md Selim, President of Subondhon Somaj Kalyan Songothon Habibur Rahman, President of BD Click Aminul Islam, among others, took part in the programme.
Besides, the leaders of the green activists demanded amendment of policy and laws with proper implementation to keep the city canals grabbing-free, dumping-free, and reassess the canal boundaries in the city.
Abu Naser Khan said if we cannot protect our canals and water bodies, the ecosystem would be vulnerable and the city dwellers would continue to suffer from water logging, lower underground water level, extreme heat and other environmental disasters.
Dhaka District Administration has identified 58 canals among which 37 have been grabbed by RAJUK, government and private organisations, political parties and 248 individuals.
Among 22 canals managed by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) only part of Dholaikhal and Meradia Khal exist. But these two are also highly dumped and polluted. And the rest, roads have been constructed through them by filling earth without considering the eco-system.
“Authorities like DWASA, City Corporations, RAJUK and District Administration responsible for management of these water bodies are not working integrated, they are careless about such important resources,” said Abu Naser Khan.
He said, “Despite having existing policy and laws, canals are vanishing due to active grabbing by the powerful, greedy, selfish, politically-backed persons. Only assurance of exemplary punishment can’t resist the grabbers.”
“Authorities should take regular monitoring campaign, eviction drive and dredging programmes after eviction of the grabbers. Planners should plan infrastructures keeping water bodies alive to be sustainable. Unplanned development is costing city dwellers with sufferings like heavy water logging and destroyed already eco-system in the city, it is high time to rethink,” he suggested.
Hafizur Rahaman said, “There are allegation against the Police Officers’ Multipurpose Cooperative Society that it is developing police housing society in Khilkhet by filling a part of Boalia canal despite notice of RAJUK.”
“The authority has taken new canal digging programme with a budget of Tk 5000 crore in Uttara area. According to RAJUK Chairman, Abdur Rahman, the Police Officers’ Multipurpose Cooperative Society has not taken any action to recover the canal and their housing project work is ongoing. It is high time to end the game and keep alive the city canals,” he said.
According to green activists, lack of awareness, knowledge and coordination among authorities land grabbers are building houses, markets and other facilities on the spaces of the city canals. City canals are disappearing due to heavy and reckless dumping of waste day by day. The lean recovery programme is simply an eye-wash and waste of budget. Authorities should wake up to save the canals and water bodies of the cities to keep development sustainable.
Immediate recovery and dredging programmes along with active monitoring can only help the water bodies, canals and rivers to survive. Pollution free water bodies are not only essential for drainage but to keep environment cool, support ecological balance and develop sustainable ecosystem, which Dhaka city is lacking.
