Prevent mosquito, water stagnation, dust in capital: HC

The High Court on Wednesday asked the chief executive officers of the two Dhaka city corporations to take immediate action to prevent mosquito and water stagnation ahead of monsoon and to control dust on the streets spraying water every morning and afternoon.
The local government ministry submitted a report to the High Court stating that the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority received complaints about contaminated water from 292 households.
The ministry in its report also said that it collected 1065 samples of water supplied by the water supply authority and would now need an estimated fund of Tk 78 lakh for laboratory test of the samples.
The bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam is scheduled for today for hearing on the report submitted following its directive issued on May 8. 
The bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader issued the directives to the two city corporations in presence of Dhaka North City Corporation chief executive officer Abdul Haye and Dhaka South City Corporation chief executive officer Mostafizur Rahman.
The two chief executive officers were summoned for non-compliance of its January 28 order to spray water in the city roads every morning and afternoon to control dust.
The bench once again returned to lawyers of the city corporations their affidavits of their steps taken to control dust, saying that those were incorrect without specifying when and on which roads they sprayed water.
The bench asked them to submit proper affidavits detailing the places and time of spraying water on the roads by June 26. 
The court said that it found the city corporation negligent in controlling mosquito, dust and air pollution. 
The chief executive officers kept mum when the court asked them to explain why mosquito was found even on 19th floor. 
The court asked them to take immediate steps to prevent mosquito as monsoon was nearing, otherwise citizens would suffer from mosquito related diseases, like dengue and chikungunia.
The court also asked them to explain why city roads were dug round the year.
The court said that jaywalkers were injured because of the foot bridge’s stairs set on the footpaths and the bars put on footpaths to prevent motorcycle and asked the chief executive officers to take the matter seriously.
The court reminded them that in other countries the government had to pay compensation to citizens because of such damage caused by negligence of government officials.
The court said that the late North City mayor Annisul Haq took many initiatives to address city problems.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net