DSCC's Tk 9.45b project to save four canals awaits govt's approval: Taposh
A project taken by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) involving Taka 9.45 billion to re-excavate and protect four major canals and its seven branches from illegal encroachment awaits government approval.
"We have taken a project of about Taka 9.45 billion to re-excavate, preserve and protect Shyampur, Jirani, Manda and Kalunagar canals and its seven branches from illegal encroachment," DSCC mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh told BSS in an interview at his Nagar Bhaban office.
A proposal of the project titled "Canal Restoration, Renovation and Aesthetic Environment Creation Project" is now awaiting approval of the planning commission, he said.
Barrister Taposh said necessary measures will be taken to keep water flow normal in the canals and its branches under the jurisdiction of the DSCC round the year.
The canals will be given a facelift with building necessary infrastructure including parks and roads nearby, keeping in mind the natural beauty and environment, he continued.
The mayor said the DSCC will continue mobile courts all over the year to evict the illegal occupiers. DSCC has taken charges of the canals, box-culverts and drains after 34 years from WASA on 31 December last, Taposh said, adding that they have started drives against the illegal occupants alongside removing waste from those since 2 January this year.
The WASA also handed over the pumps to the DSCC although those were found dysfunctional, he said, adding that, "But we have made the pumps functional within a short time".
From 11 January last to 23 March, some 730 decimals or 7.30 acre of lands have been set free from illegal occupation adjacent to the canals of Jirani, Manda and Shyampur by conducting several drives.
A total of 155 cases were filed and Tk 491,900 was realized as fine while a portion of 145 permanent and 220 temporary establishments were demolished during the drives.
After recovering the illegally occupied places, as many as 2727 boundary pillars have so far been set up. The mayor said they have already collected 800,000 tons of waste from canals, box-culverts and drains since taking the charges of those from WASA by January this year.
After clearing waste from the canals, box-culverts and drains, the capacity of holding water of those water-bodies has increased which helps reduce water-logging significantly, he said.
The mayor said they have unblocked different places of water stream by removing the pile of waste which helps pass water quickly. He added: "You people (city dwellers) have seen that the DSCC areas witness water-logging for fewer times at a few places in comparison to the last year."