Grabbers back in business
Photo: Amdadul Huq / Driknews
A photograph in the front page of The Daily Star of 4th July issue drew my attention. Again river encroachers have started to fill up the water bodies near Ashulia Bridge on the outskirts of the capital. Just a few days ago, the government demolished some illegal structures on both sides of the Turag river and took vow to drive encroachers once for all at any cost. When this operation was going on, I was thinking how many days it would continue. After a few days we saw the eviction operation coming to a halt due to legal complications and some other unknown reasons. It was proved again that “We can start but cannot finish”. Demolition work created further obstruction to free flow of river water. My question is why the government went there to demolish the illegal structures spending public money. The government could give orders to the encroachers to remove the illegal structures at their own cost within the stipulated time and to return the water bodies to the original form. After the stipulated time, if anybody does not remove illegal structures, the government should take stern action immediately. Local chairman or ward commissioners should be held responsible for any illegal structure or encroachment on rivers and roads in their respective areas. In my opinion nothing will be effective until and unless we become self inspired to protect our environment. We should create public awareness in different ways to protect our environment. We need the law and strict enforcement of it. Our ruling and opposition parties have vehemently protested the construction of the Tipaimukh Dam. That is good. But they do not protest when the land grabbers grab our rivers and water bodies. Our political parties should raise their voice jointly against all such activities.
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