Free water bodies from grabbers

Boat procession on Barisal Jail Canal demands

19 August 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Barisal

As a boat procession inaugurated by Barisal City Corporation Mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron starts an awareness campaign to recover occupied portions of Jail Canal yesterday, an earth-laden boat waits at a point, apparently to fill up the bank there.Photo: STAR

A boat procession was brought out from Kalapatty point of Jail Canal in Barisal city yesterday demanding immediate measures to free the canal from encroachers and protect all water bodies in and around the city. Barisal City Corporation (BCC) Mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron inaugurated the procession at noon. BCC councillors, representatives from different NGOs and socio-cultural and professional bodies joined the procession organised by “Nadi Khal Bachao Andolan”. The participants urged the authorities concerned to take effective steps to stop encroachment on the canal, which is navigable during the rainy season. They also demanded removal of illegal structures built on the Jail Canal and bring the encroachers to book. Mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron, in his speech, assured the participants of taking necessary measures to free the canal from the grip of encroachers. BCC Secretary Ranjit Kumar Das told The Daily Star that a committee, comprising representatives from city corporation, district council, water Development Board and district administration, was formed on August 16 to prepare a list of encroachers. He further said demolition of illegal structures on the canal will start soon.