Environment activists on Friday demanded that the government should immediately implement the detailed area plan of the capital to curb further pollution and grabbing of water bodies by industrialists and realtors.
Speaking in a protest rally in front the fine arts faculty of Dhaka University, the greens urged the government to protect the rivers, canals and flood flow zones across and around the city to ensure liveable atmosphere for the future generation.
Sammilita Jaladhar Rakkha Andolan, a youths’ platform working for protecting natural water bodies, organised the programme to press for their 11-point charter of demands that also included making circular waterways surrounding the Dhaka city operational, creating CS an RS maps of all canals in the city and sufficient budgetary allocation for recovering and protecting the water bodies grabbed by different quarters over the past decades
Syed Munna, an activist of the organisation, said the city’s once rich canal network had been destroyed and almost disappeared for uncontrolled and illegal grabbing since the independence, causing severe damage to the drainage system. Before the independence, 47 canals flowed across the city, of which 25 have disappeared due to grabbing, he added.
Speakers in the meeting also pointed out that erecting establishments on natural water bodies goes against the Environment Conservation Act, 1995, Bengal Canal Act, 1868 and Garden and Natural Water Body Act, 2000. They urged the government not to retreat from implementing DAP being influenced by vested quarters.
The Daily New Age
Syed Saiful Alam
shovan1209[at]yahoo.com
