CITY WATER LOGGING : DNCC mayor points finger at grabbers

Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Annisul Huq on Saturday said the water-logging in the capital is not possible to be solved overnight as powerful quarters have grabbed the city cannels and other water bodies.
‘The solution to the existing problems the city is faced with is not that easy… I need your [media] support … I will start doing musclemanry to ensure service to the city people,’ Annisul said addressing a meet the press programme.
Dhaka Reporters Unity organised the programme at its Sagar-Runi Auditorium.
He also urged the government to form a taskforce comprising authorities of service providing agencies to address the problems including water-logging, traffic congestion and waste management.
He said the DNCC has no authority to reclaim the cannels and other water bodies as Water Supply and Sewerage Authority and the deputy commissioner’s office are responsible for it.
He said the DNCC is working to set up 60 to 72 modern waste transfer stations for proper management.
He came down hard on hoarding businesses over their demonstrations protesting at removal of illegal advertising hoardings.
‘I have spoken to their leaders. They have assured me of removing around 1,000 illegal hoardings,’ he said, adding that he had given them three months for the task, but they did not remove even 50 hoardings.
Annisul Huq informed that the DNCC was set to relocate the Kawran Bazar kitchen market to Mohakhali, Aminbazar and Jatrabari.
‘The new kitchen markets at Mohakhali and Aminbazar are now ready and the Jatrabari market is under construction,’ he said, adding that the businessmen promised to shift their businesses to the new markets.
He claimed that the city has capacity for three lakh vehicles but around 11 lakh vehicles are running in the city, which has resulted in severe traffic congestion.
Among others, DRU president Sakhawat Hossain Badsha and general secretary Eleyas Hossain spoke at the programme.

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