Photo: Daily Messenger
A 10-storey building is currently being constructed on the bank of the Lautala canal in the Basila area of Mohammadpur, located in the capital city.
According to the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), 70 percent of the building's construction encroaches upon the canal's space. As a result, DNCC demolished the unlawful portion of the building under construction on Friday in the presence of DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam.
Today, two additional structures constructed on the same canal site were demolished. One of these structures was a single-storey building, while the other was a single-and-a-half-storey building. DNCC is currently conducting an operation to remove these illegal structures and simultaneously clean the Lautala Canal in the Basila area.
More than 1500 volunteers from the voluntary organisation BD Clean are currently supporting DNCC in their cleanliness drive.
Prior to the commencement of the campaign, DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam administered an oath to the BD Clean volunteers at the Paschimanchal Police Line Ground (Basila Training Academy) around 10:15 AM. During the oath-taking ceremony, he emphasised the detrimental impact of littering in the canal, stating that those who dispose of garbage in such a manner have dirt not only in their surroundings but also in their minds. He emphasised that such actions do not align with the characteristics of good citizenship, and individuals cannot claim to be good citizens if they engage in such behavior.
The cleaning of the Lautala canal commenced around 10 am, and to motivate the volunteers, Mayor Atiqul Islam personally joined them by descending to the canal and participating in the cleaning efforts.
Expressing his commitment to rejuvenating the neglected canal, DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam stated his desire to revitalise the canal in collaboration with the community. He conveyed to reporters that no notices would be issued to any squatters along the canal. Any structures within 100 feet of the canal would be subject to demolition. He emphasised that if illegal constructions were not removed promptly, they would only pave the way for further encroachment by others.
Around 11:00 AM, the DNCC operation to clear illegal structures along the banks of the Lautala Canal commenced. Initially, a half-paved and a fully-paved structure occupying the entrance of the canal were demolished. Following this, the process of demolishing the 10-storey building under construction along the canal bank began.
Officials from the property department of DNCC revealed that approximately 70 percent of the building under construction encroached upon the canal site.
DNCC officials said that the cleaning operation of three kilometers of the Lautala canal was completed on Friday.
Messenger/Mumu
