DOT Desk: The circuitous Katasur canal in the city’s Mohammadpur area lies in a sorry state as the water body appears to have turned into a dumping ground, reports The Daily Sun.
Apart from the fact that the canal is on the verge of dying, waste and trash being thrown into it by the locals are posing threat to environment as well as public health.
Lack of civic sense of the inhabitants living in the area beside the two-kilometer-long canal is blamed for the present condition of the canal.
The waterway, which flows along Pulpar Battala in Mohammadpur’s Zafrabad to Mohammadia Housing Society, is getting narrowed day by day.
Besides, Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority that are responsible for preserving the water bodies seem to be negligent in collecting garbage and maintaining sewerage system.
The water flow of the canal has been choked by the thick layer of silted garbage and other accumulated waste being thrown in from all four sides. It has now lost its navigability while water is hardly there which too has turned pitch black.
Asked about the condition of the canal, an elderly man Md Mobinuddin living in Jafrabad of Mohammpur area vented his frustration.
He said those living along the banks of the canal are lacking in common sense and patriotism, and they are dumping garbage into it continuously.
“There is nobody to look it after, neither from the government nor WASA. The government has kept no options to fine anyone for dumping waste into the canal.”
That is why everyone in the locality throws their garbage and waste into the canal without any hesitation, said Mobinuddin who is living in the area for over 30 years and running a shop on the bank of the canal.
Another local Alauddin, also owner of a two-storied building near 7 No. culvert road beside the canal, said: “My tenants throw waste into the canal from the upper floor of my house. I can in no way prevent them from doing so, as inhabitants of other houses do the same.”
During a visit to the area, the correspondents found that various establishments including temporary shops, factories and other businesses have mushroomed on the bank of the canal including slums.
In many places, approach road has been built over the canal placing box culvert.
Sources said Dhaka WASA demolished the illegal establishments to preserve navigability of rivers and rivulets in 2010, but after a pause, they have popped up.
A taskforce was formed as per the directives of the then shipping minster to preserve the canal. Similarly, a committee comprised of police and the area councilor was also formed to supervise the canal.
“Incessant dumping of waste from home and factories has left the canal in sorry state,” said a Pharmacist Md Rezaul Karim of Kadirabad Housing.
Inhabitants and businessmen throw trash directly into the channel despite having waste management system in the area. However, the garbage collecting cars of Dhaka North City Corporation are seen in few and far between, he added .
Asked about the preservation of canal, DNCC 33 Ward Councilor Tarequzzaman Razib said: “We have nothing to do with it as the city corporation has no jurisdiction over the clean-up. We can do renovation only. WASA is tasked with doing the job.”
“Despite the fact, we are making our citizens aware and helping WASA with its waste management system,” the councilor claimed.
Talking to daily sun, Dhaka WASA Managing Director Engineer Taqsem A Khan said: “We have taken steps to clean all the canals in the capital within a few days to restore their navigability and drainage system.”
“We have also decided to demolish all box culverts that have been built earlier,” he added.
Asked if there is any permanent solution to the perennial problem facing the canals, he could not make any comment on it.