Put an end to canal encroachment

It is disturbing to note that some influential persons, including an upazila parishad chairman are occupying a canal beside the Charsubudhi Bazar under Raipura upazila of Narsingdi. According to a report of this newspaper yesterday, these people are also filling up the mouth of a culvert on the canal to set up storehouses and grocery shops.

It defies logic how can a public representative be instrumental in canal occupation? The filling up of the canal may obstruct the flow of water resulting in marooning hundreds of people in the rainy season. The wetlands play a vital role in protecting country’s environment, flora and fauna, bio-diversity and ecological balance. But question arises, what measures have been taken to protect the wetlands in our country?  Unplanned and uncoordinated urbanisation has also taken toll on the wetlands.   

 Over the years, water bodies including canals have been grabbed by influential people in different places in the country. This triggered water-logging problem that assumed a formidable challenge for the successive governments. Once there were many canals in Dhaka city. Those have been grabbled and filled up by the land sharks. Residential and commercial buildings have been constructed on those canals.  This has hampered the drainage system in the city exposing the city dwellers to immense suffering triggered by severe water-logging during monsoon.

With the burgeoning population Dhaka city has expanded both horizontally and vertically but the major canals of the city grabbed by dishonest people could not be recovered. Besides, many culverts, box culverts and drains have choked up due to absence of care and maintenance. As a result, there is hardly any outlet for rainwater to pass. It is worrying to note that the rivers and water bodies around Dhaka are shrinking day by day.

Encroachers are enjoying heydays in grabbing them. Influential people enjoying patronage of political leaders and a section of dishonest government officials are abetting the crime in exchange for bribes.

This malpractice cannot be allowed to go on. The government should take stringent measures for the protection of the wetlands in no time. The encroached canals should be recovered and the grabbers should be brought to justice. Vigilance should be maintained so that in future canals cannot be grabbed further. There is no alternative to protecting the wetlands for our survival.

 

 

Put an end to canal encroachment

It is disturbing to note that some influential persons, including an upazila parishad chairman are occupying a canal beside the Charsubudhi Bazar under Raipura upazila of Narsingdi. According to a report of this newspaper yesterday, these people are also filling up the mouth of a culvert on the canal to set up storehouses and grocery shops. It defies logic how can a public representative be instrumental in canal occupation? The filling up of the canal may obstruct the flow of water resulting in marooning hundreds of people in the rainy season. The wetlands play a vital role in protecting countrys environment, flora and fauna, bio-diversity and ecological balance. But question arises, what measures have been taken to protect the wetlands in our country? Unplanned and uncoordinated urbanisation has also taken toll on the wetlands. Over the years, water bodies including canals have been grabbed by influential people in different places in the country. This triggered water-logging problem that assumed a formidable challenge for the successive governments. Once there were many canals in Dhaka city. Those have been grabbled and filled up by the land sharks. Residential and commercial buildings have been constructed on those canals. This has hampered the drainage system in the city exposing the city dwellers to immense suffering triggered by severe water-logging during monsoon. With the burgeoning population Dhaka city has expanded both horizontally and vertically but the major canals of the city grabbed by dishonest people could not be recovered. Besides, many culverts, box culverts and drains have choked up due to absence of care and maintenance. As a result, there is hardly any outlet for rainwater to pass. It is worrying to note that the rivers and water bodies around Dhaka are shrinking day by day. Encroachers are enjoying heydays in grabbing them. Influential people enjoying patronage of political leaders and a section of dishonest government officials are abetting the crime in exchange for bribes. This malpractice cannot be allowed to go on. The government should take stringent measures for the protection of the wetlands in no time. The encroached canals should be recovered and the grabbers should be brought to justice. Vigilance should be maintained so that in future canals cannot be grabbed further. There is no alternative to protecting the wetlands for our survival.