Tk 73 crore Barisal development work in legal tangle

City corpn’s refusal to pay compensation leads to lawsuits

Thanks to land disputes and legal tangles, over 40 development works worth over Tk. 73 crore have been hanging fire for a long time in Barisal, depriving the city’s residents of various important schemes. Again, the money sanctioned for these developmental works would have to be returned, as the works have not been completed in the scheduled time. Sources in the Barisal City Corporation (BCC) said a total of 44 running developmental works, including the Ring Road-cum protection embankment, the City Market near Kirtonkhola Ferry Ghat, drains-cum-footpaths, road extension and urban primary health care centres, have been suspended in recent times. The BCC has abandoned all hope as the scheduled time periods of these works have been overrun.
BCC executive engineer Md. Motaleb Hosen said it was very difficult to get back money related to a developmental work. Citing an example, he observed: “When 80 per cent of the work of the city protection embankment had been completed, we faced a court order and had to stop the work. We were forced to stop 44 development works of the city due to similar reasons. We can do nothing when the court issues orders.”
Pankoj Gupto, a resident of the city’s Hospital Road, recently filed a case against the BCC to stop the drain-cum-footpath that BCC tried to construct on his land. The higher court issued a stay order in favour of Gupta. After getting the order, the BCC stopped the work.
Gupto said, “They have no right to ignore the SA map. We sacrificed some 4 decimals of land worth over Tk. 70 lakh to the BCC for extension of the road a few years ago. The BCC did not give us even a letter of thanks for our sacrifice. Recently, the BCC again came here and started construction of a drain-cum-footpath in my land by force. So we went to the court.” Gupto pointed out that the BCC did not include payment of compensation in the project profile.
Motaleb Hosen claimed that there was no provision to include compensation money in the project proposal (PP). At the same time, he claimed that the BCC does not have sufficient money to pay compensation. Again, the city protection embankment is facing the prospect of damage as work is incomplete.
BCC mayor Ahsan Habib Kamal said it was very difficult for him to fulfil his election promises, given the reality.
Meanwhile, some 45 per cent of the roads under the BCC have been badly damaged and are very much at risk, given continuous rain over the past two years. BCC sources said there was a total of 593km of road length under the city corporation.
Spending Tk. 330 crore, the BCC has constructed, re-constructed, extended and repaired 312km of roads over the past seven years. But following heavy rain, almost all the roads are now badly damaged and need emergency repairs, with numerous potholes and cracks having developed.
Enayet Hosen Chowdury, a civil society member, said: “If the BCC takes steps to hold negotiations with the complainants, the civil society would help them. But it is an undeniable fact that payment of proper compensation would be needed here as land on the roadsides is rather valuable.”

 

 

Tk 73 crore Barisal development work in legal tangle

City corpns refusal to pay compensation leads to lawsuits

Thanks to land disputes and legal tangles, over 40 development works worth over Tk. 73 crore have been hanging fire for a long time in Barisal, depriving the citys residents of various important schemes. Again, the money sanctioned for these developmental works would have to be returned, as the works have not been completed in the scheduled time. Sources in the Barisal City Corporation (BCC) said a total of 44 running developmental works, including the Ring Road-cum protection embankment, the City Market near Kirtonkhola Ferry Ghat, drains-cum-footpaths, road extension and urban primary health care centres, have been suspended in recent times. The BCC has abandoned all hope as the scheduled time periods of these works have been overrun. BCC executive engineer Md. Motaleb Hosen said it was very difficult to get back money related to a developmental work. Citing an example, he observed: When 80 per cent of the work of the city protection embankment had been completed, we faced a court order and had to stop the work. We were forced to stop 44 development works of the city due to similar reasons. We can do nothing when the court issues orders. Pankoj Gupto, a resident of the citys Hospital Road, recently filed a case against the BCC to stop the drain-cum-footpath that BCC tried to construct on his land. The higher court issued a stay order in favour of Gupta. After getting the order, the BCC stopped the work. Gupto said, They have no right to ignore the SA map. We sacrificed some 4 decimals of land worth over Tk. 70 lakh to the BCC for extension of the road a few years ago. The BCC did not give us even a letter of thanks for our sacrifice. Recently, the BCC again came here and started construction of a drain-cum-footpath in my land by force. So we went to the court. Gupto pointed out that the BCC did not include payment of compensation in the project profile. Motaleb Hosen claimed that there was no provision to include compensation money in the project proposal (PP). At the same time, he claimed that the BCC does not have sufficient money to pay compensation. Again, the city protection embankment is facing the prospect of damage as work is incomplete. BCC mayor Ahsan Habib Kamal said it was very difficult for him to fulfil his election promises, given the reality. Meanwhile, some 45 per cent of the roads under the BCC have been badly damaged and are very much at risk, given continuous rain over the past two years. BCC sources said there was a total of 593km of road length under the city corporation. Spending Tk. 330 crore, the BCC has constructed, re-constructed, extended and repaired 312km of roads over the past seven years. But following heavy rain, almost all the roads are now badly damaged and need emergency repairs, with numerous potholes and cracks having developed. Enayet Hosen Chowdury, a civil society member, said: If the BCC takes steps to hold negotiations with the complainants, the civil society would help them. But it is an undeniable fact that payment of proper compensation would be needed here as land on the roadsides is rather valuable.