[ALOCHONA] Aati canal goes,river on the way:2 AL lawmakers behind grabbing

Aati canal goes, river on the way : 2 AL lawmakers allegedly behind the grabbing



The confluence of Aati canal and the Buriganga river, and the floodplains on both sides of the canal are being filled up with earth in the name of The Department of Environment in a special drive yesterday stopped an organised earth-filling at the meeting point of the river Buriganga and Aati canal reportedly by two ruling party lawmakers at Washpur in Dhaka.



The confluence of Aati canal and the Buriganga river, and the floodplains on both sides of the canal are being filled up with earth in the name of setting up a fuel depot at Washpur near Basila. This has no clearance from the Department of Environment. Inset, the signboard claiming the project was government approved.

The Department of Environment in a special drive yesterday stopped an organised earth-filling at the meeting point of the river Buriganga and Aati canal reportedly by two ruling party lawmakers at Washpur in Dhaka.DoE officials seized five excavators and bulldozers from the spot and filed a case in this connection under Bangladesh Environment Preservation Act (amendment) 2010.

Locals alleged two ruling Awami League lawmakers, including Aslamul Haque of Dhaka-14, were involved in the activities that continued over the last two months.

The massive earth-filling had closed the confluence of the two streams flowing to the right of the Martyred Intellectuals' Bridge, added locals.Some local landowners complained to the DoE team that they had been forced by an influential quarter to sell their land.

The labourers, engaged in the digging and filling, said the site was associated with a project called Dhaka West Power Plant.But nobody from the plant authorities was found during the drive. There, a signboard reads "Proposed Fuel Preservation Centre: Rented by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation" and "approved by the government".The DoE said nobody took permission from them for such project.

About 200 bighas of wetland adjoining the river was being filled up for the site, the workers said adding they already had filled around 200 feet long and 50 feet wide segment."Of the 200 bighas, 60 bighas were for the power plant and the rest for housing projects," said a worker.

Failing to reach lawmaker Aslamul, The Daily Star sent a text message to him last evening, requesting his comment on the drive. He is yet to respond.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=175159

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