DSCC launches canal cleaning programme

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has launched a crash programme to clean canals and box culverts in the capital from the Panthakunja Park section of Panthapath on Saturday.

Earlier on the day, the officials and employees of the waste management department of DSCC took position in front of Panthakunja Park with the equipment to launch the waste removal activities.

The agency said the program is being run to alleviate waterlogging in the city.

DSCC Public Relations Officer Abu Naser said, “DSCC Chief Executive Officer ABM Amin Ullah Nuri and Chief Waste Management Officer Air Commodore Md Badrul Amin inspected the waste disposal activities.”

However, last Thursday, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) handed over 26 canals from Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) to Dhaka North City Corporation and DSCC to reduce long-standing water lodging in the capital.

Out of these 26 canals, 11 canals and box culverts are in DSCC territory.

At the canal handover ceremony, DSCC Mayor Barrister Sheikh Taposh said, "Since the first day of the new year is Friday, we have initially planned to launch the crash program from Saturday.”

Taposh said, “From Jirani, Manda and Shampur canals and the Panthapath and Segunbagicha box culverts, where the long piled up waste that has hardened, we have undertaken a huge task of removing the waste. We have set a target of completing the removal of waste from these three canals and two box culverts by next March.”

However, the two city corporations of Dhaka have been given the responsibilities of cleaning and maintaining 26 canals from Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) to reduce long-standing water lodging in the city.

The responsibility for canal maintenance in the capital was officially handed over by Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Tajul Islam through a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Hotel Intercontinental on last Thursday.

At the canal handover ceremony, LGRD Minister Md Tajul Islam said, “The two city corporations will take all the responsibilities for resolving waterlogging problems and they will have to do the work taking help from other agencies and residents of Dhaka city.”

The Minister said, “DWASA had been maintaining 26 canals (84.5 km long), 385 km storm water drains, and 10 box culverts (around 10 km) since 1988. Two city corporations will now maintain and manage 2,200 km pipe drains and surface drains.

Tajul Islam also said, “The government has taken different initiatives to increase civic service and it is being implemented in phases. Hopefully people can give example of the beauty of Dhaka city in near future instead of giving example of Singapore or other developed cities in the world.”

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam said, “All the canals under the DNCC have been cleaned that is why there is no possibility of water logging ahead. Besides, we have taken projects to increase beauty of the canals.”