KCC levels 19 dams on four canals

DRIVE AGAINST ILLEGAL STRUCTURES
KCC levels 19 dams on four canals
The Khulna City Corporation authorities have so far levelled 19 dams on four canals in and around the city during the demolition drive that was launched on July 3 aiming to ease water-logging problem.
KCC sources said the authorities launched the demolition drive with help of the district administration and allocated Tk 15 lakh to carry out the drive against illegal structures. They also engaged 55 labourers, one bulldozer, 25 staff and 25 policemen for this purpose.
In last six days since July 3, five dams over the River Mayur was flattened while 10 dams over Narkelbaria canal, 2 dams over Dubir canal and 2 other dams over Harintana canal.
A few makeshift structures built on Narkelbaria canal just outside the city was also demolished during the drive.
Official sources said influential quarters had been farming fish after they had built dams over the canals, causing water-logging in the city during heavy downpour.
The authorities concerned formed a 19-member committee on February 5 to identify illegal structures on city canals. The committee identified 81 encroachers and submitted its report to the mayor on March 24.
The authorities published advertisement in local newspapers on May 7 and called for removal of illegal structures within 10 days. ‘If anyone fails to remove their illegal structures from the canals within the deadline, the corporation will demolish them during the demolition drive,’ the advertisement said.
As no illegal structure was removed even after the expiry of the deadline and announcement through loudspeaker, the authorities started the demolition drive on July 3.
Civic group leaders, however, demanded that the authorities concerned should realise the money, spent for levelling the dams, from those who had encroached on public land.
Khulna Nagarik Forum chairperson Sheikh Abdul Quayum told New Age that a section of influential people built dams over the canals causing water-logging in the city during the rainy season.
Sheikh Ashrafuzzaman, vice-president of Greater Khulna Development Coordination Action Committee, said KCC should realise the money from encroachers and spend it for improvement of utility services.
The executive magistrate of the city corporation Md Bellal Hossain said they have a plan to realise fines from the encroachers.
KCC’s revenue officer Sk M Tasaduzzaman said they would continue the demolition drive until all the illegal structures were removed from city canals.

Courtesy of NewAgebd