The need of the hour is the creation of a separate
official body to watch over all aspects of the
demolition drive and, more
importantly, to quickly implement the plans on
freeing the spaces on the sides of the rivers
Freeing and saving the rivers that girdle Dhaka
Md Ali Akbar
The rivers that flow through and past Dhaka city are vitally important for its residents. These rivers have lost their significance for fishing long ago from their awfully polluted conditions. Nonetheless, the rivers are still considerably depended upon as a medium of transportation for both people and cargoes. The greatest loss over the years is noted in the area of the environment.
Once a notable feature of the salubrious environment of the city with clean waters and idyllic landscapes on their sides, the rivers are nearly like apparitions of their past selves. The narrowed down widths from all sorts of unauthorised structures now give only stream like appearances to these once well flowing rivers. From unabated encroachments, experts feared the total or near total disappearance of the Balu, Turag and Buringaga rivers in Dhaka.
Hopes flickered brightly during 2009 from high level decision in the government followed by energetic drives to turn to rubble all kinds of unauthorized structures on river bodies in and around Dhaka. For some time, the coordinated activities of the destroyers produced the impression as if the banks of the rivers were about to be sustainably freed from the occupation. But the drive grinded to a halt as a number of companies filed writ petitions in the High Court challenging the governments action.
This brought to a halt the demolition drive for nearly a year as the case was heard and acted upon by the High Court. To the big relief of everybody, the High Court in delivering judgment after about a year turned down the plea of the petitioners and upheld the governments position in respect of continuing the drive. But the affected ones resorted to a further delaying tactic of appealing to the Apellate Division of the Supreme Court against the High Courts decision. While the legal battle was going on, even freed areas on the banks were encroached afresh with shocking impunity by the same or other offenders. But governments aim should be removing all the legal obstacles at the soonest. With all legal obstacles removed, the authorities would be expected to show their determination to complete the job by moving hard and fast to clear the banks of the three rivers from end to end.
The opportunity needs to be seized and exploited at the fastest. It was made known when the demolition move started that government has comprehensive plan for the rivers. The same would be dredged to increase depth for ease of navigation. Discharge of pollutants in them were aimed to be regulated as soon as possible through carrying out of orders to run and operate effluent treatment plants (ETPs) by the polluting industries and services. The plans also included building roads throughout the banks to guard against any manner of encroachment in the future. Establishment of spacious parks and planting of trees on the sides are also in these plans. Besides, there are also other plans to ensure that the saved and regenerated
rivers can once again contribute to the aesthetic needs of the residents of Dhaka and towards a healthful environment.
The need of the hour is the creation of a separate official body to watch over all aspects of the demolition drive and, more importantly, to quickly implement the plans on freeing the spaces on the sides of the rivers. This body will have to be supported vigorously by all relevant ministries and departments of the government and made logistically and financially strong to take on the various envisioned developmental tasks .
The writer is a retired civil servant and contributor to The Independent
