3,855 river demarcation pillars disputed

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority chairman commodore M Mahbub-ul Islam on Wednesday told the task force to save rivers that 3,855 demarcation pillars of five Dhaka rivers installed by the agency since 2010 were disputed and it could solve disputes in the case of 2,114 pillars.

BIWTA installed 9,577 river demarcation pillars in the Buriganga, Turag, Shitalakkhya, Balu and a part of Dheleswari between 2010 and 2019, Mahbub told the meeting held at shipping ministry.

Since 2010, BIWTA chairman claimed that 612.22 acres of river lands from Dhaka and Narayanganj were reclaimed.

Between January and June 2019, the agency reclaimed 145.1 acres of lands of four Dhaka rivers — Buriganga, Turag, Shitalakkhya and Balu and demolished 5,239 illegal structures, Mahbub said.

He claimed that Tk 8,64,38,400 was deposited in the government fund after selling sands and stones stored illegally on the riverbanks organising on spot auctions.

‘We also fined Tk 27,06,000 for the illegally grabbing lands,’ Madbub said, adding that seven projects were under process for ensuring navigability  of 47 rivers such as the Padma, Meghna, Old Brahmaputra, Karnaphuli, Pashur, Kirtankhola, Manu, Pian, Arail Kha, Shitalakkhya, Turag, Kumar and Dhaleshwari.

The inter-ministerial river saving task force, led by the shipping minister, was formed in 2009 for monitoring of the rivers and keeping those free from grabbing and pollution.

It was the first meeting since Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury assumed the post of the state minister for shipping in January.

While presiding over the meeting, Khalid said that a project had been initiated for protecting Dhaka’s four rivers and beautification of their banks.

The minister also asked to initiate combined dredging projects for BIWTA and water development board under the water resources ministry.

‘We don’t want to see repetition while initiating the projects,’ Khalid instructed.

He also told the department of environment to take actions against the polluters.

‘We will close the factories which will not follow rules,’ he said.

Environment and forestry minister M Shahab Uddin, shipping secretary M Abdus Samad and representatives of different agencies and green activists were present at the meeting.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net