-All solution remains in planning stage
- Sewerage of 2 city corp. is about 3K km
-A permanent solution requires planning & implementation. Complete drainage network needed. By not doing that natural system was also destroyed.
- Adil Muhammad Khan, Professor of JU & Executive Director of IPD
All the activities of Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporation (DNCC and DSCC) have remained only at the planning stage in four years after taking charge. Those concerned cannot say when the plans that have been taken will be implemented.
Even after four years have passed since the two city corporations were taken over the authority from Dhaka Wasa in 2020, the residents of the city feel that there has been no improvement in the water quality of the capital. As a result, even a little rain can cause flooding in the capital. Recently the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rain till next Friday. As a result, the concerned people think that the city dwellers are going to be victims of flooding again.
Adil Muhammad Khan, Executive Director of Research institute for Planning and Development (IPD) and Professor of Jahangirnagar University in Urban and Regional Planning Department, said in this context that 'planning and its implementation are needed for a permanent solution against flooding. Complete drainage network should be developed. Without doing that, the natural system that was there has also been destroyed.”
During the handover of Dhaka Wasa Canal in 2020, it is known that there are only 26 canals in the capital. But later, 30 of DNCC and 39 of DSCC were found to exist in total 69 canals. And the sewerage of two city corporations is about three thousand kilometers.
Those concerned say that some routine evacuation operations have been conducted after taking charge of the canals. Apart from that, canals and drains are cleaned during the dry season.
However, the two mayors are blaming the irresponsibility of the city dwellers beyond the necessary measures. They say that the city dwellers throw waste in the canal and indiscriminately occupied the canal. That needs to be end.
DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam referred to the 'banana tree therapy' to save the canal and said, 'I would have peace of mind if I could insert a banana tree into every pipe through which household waste is discharged into the canal. Here is my failure. Because of how the people of Baridhara, Gulshan are dumping black waste into canals. I find it very heartbreaking.
DSCC Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Tapas said, 'There is caution during canal occupation. People will cry when the encroached canal area is saved according to the water bodies’ law. Corruption cannot be eradicated by caning or supervision. If I cannot be free from corruption as a citizen, then nothing will happen.
After taking responsibility for the canal, DNCC first took the initiative to determine the boundary. This task was given to the Bangladesh Army. But a dilemma arose as to the manner in which the boundary should be determined. In CS, RS, another initiative was taken to determine the boundaries of the canal by surveying the metropolis. DNCC has formed a task force in this situation. The task force also held several meetings. Demarcation work has not started yet.
After taking over the canal from Dhaka Wasa, DNCC took some of the previous manpower of Wasa. But due to inter-fighting, these personnel were sent back to Wasa. After that, DNCC proposed to create a post in the Ministry of Local Government by forming Drainage Circle. The ministry has not yet given any feedback on that proposal. Apart from this, DNCC has also given a proposal to the Ministry of Local Government for the modernization of canals. That proposal is also lying in the ministry.
Out of 39 canals of DSCC, 15 are in DND area. These are managed under the supervision of the Water Development Board. The process of handing over these canals to DSCC is also underway.
A large part of Dhaka is drained through the Manda, Jirani, Shyampur and Kalunagar canals. These 20 km long canals do not actually exist. It is on paper. The government has approved a project of Tk 898 crore to save these canals. Those concerned said that the work of the project has started somewhere.
DSCC officials say that after accepting 18 canals from Dhaka Wasa, the organization has proceeded with planning only four canals. The rest of the canals have been renovated and developed by the Bangladesh Army. But due to lack of routine maintenance, those canals are also filled with garbage. Rescue and digging in the original channel of Buriganga is considered a good work of DSCC. The stakeholders are unable to say when demarcation, de-encroachment and other works of other canals will be completed.
DSCC has taken up the plan of connecting river with sewers and canals as well as making master drains in light of the need which will play an important role in water drainage. Initially, an initiative has been taken to create a master drain in Buriganga, Jurain and Shyampur areas through the original channel of Buriganga, Banshal area from New Market to Pilkhana.
Like DNCC, DSCC too could not construct drainage circle even after four years of taking charge. The related proposal is stuck in the ministry.
ZH
