Editorial
Continuing encroachment of rivers
Time for energetic, decisive action
WHILE the campaign to save the rivers, in and around the city, showed some signs of gaining momentum in recent months and some headway has been made, ground reality now appears to be rather different. The deputy
commissioner of Gazipur in his report to the High Court has stated that encroachment on and filling up of the rivers Buriganga, Turag and Balu are going on unabated. And no less a serious worry is that people are regularly dumping sewage and garbage into the rivers.
The BIWTA chairman in his report to the court claimed that they had demolished more than 3,000 structures on the banks of four rivers since 2001. This is no doubt a positive development, but legal complications seem to have slowed down the pace of demolition work as several landowners obtained stay orders from the court. These are matters that have to be addressed to smoothen the clearing
operations. There is reason to believe that some encroachers have got documents which are either forged or prepared in collusion with corrupt
government employees. Even if the documents are found to be legally obtained, the government has to review the whole thing and deal with the occupants according to the law. After all, encroachment has to be stopped once and for all.
By all indications, the task of removing the illegal structures is a complex one which demands firm and judicious action on the part of the government agencies. First, a survey has to be conducted to ascertain the actual number of encroachers and the nature and gravity of the offence. Secondly, the
government agencies concerned have to work with a sense of commitment and urgency. It was their negligence in the past which has created such a
situation where the rivers' existence is threatened. Now they have to give a better account of themselves.
The court had issued a directive to the government to stop all such illegal activities, which was quite in keeping with the government's plan of dislodging the encroachers. So, the stage is set for decisive action.
The campaign for saving the rivers is supposed to be moving forward with support from all segments of society. The civil society, media and citizens at large have to stand firmly behind the drive against illegal occupation and pollution of rivers. It is a
question of not only saving the rivers, but the city also, which may have to be abandoned in the near future, unless the rivers are brought back to life.
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