The government has prepared a 10-year master plan to save Karnaphuli River – the heart of port city Chattogram. The master plan has been prepared with different long and short term programmes, so that the wastages of the city cannot mix with the river, said officials. Directives have been included in the master plan over how the encroached riverbanks would be recovered; how it would be protected from further encroachment; how the recovered riverbanks can be turned into tourism spots and, finally, how and where the city wastages can be dumped.
The local government ministry has already approved the masterplan prepared under by Chattogram Port Authority. A senior official of Chattogram Port said although the eviction drive at the banks of Karnaphuli was halted in the middle due to court order, it would start very soon following the directives of the masterplan.
Contacted, deputy commissioner of Chattogram Mohammad Ilias Hossain said, “A committee was formed with members from different organisations. The committee led by Chattogram Port chairman prepared and submitted a draft masterplan to LGRD ministry which approved the plan recently. Now the old beauty of Karnaphuli would be brought back following the directives of the masterplan.”
“Earlier, district administration used to lead the eviction drives as per court order, but from now, we would assist the port authority to implement the masterplan,” he added. In this regard, Chattogram Port Chairman Rear Admiral Zulfiker Aziz said, “The Chattogram Port is situated at the confluence of the Karnaphuli River. Different important structures of the port including the terminal is scattered around the river; that is why, the masterplan to save the Karnaphuli has been prepared by Chattogram Port. ”
“We will start our eviction drives following the masterplan as soon as possible. The plan has been divided into several phases: short-term, mid-term and long-term programmes,” he informed. Sources said that besides the eviction of illegal structures from the riverbanks, the masterplan includes programmes over how to increase the navigability of the river and make it free of pollution.
The plan also instructs to turn the recovered lands into tourism spots and provides guidelines for sewerage system and waste management. After finalising the masterplan, LGRD minister Tajul Islam told the media that the plan provides guidelines over how 100 percent urban wastages would be disposed.
“The masterplan over the Buriganga and Karnaphuli has been prepared following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s instruction to free the country’s rivers from the hands of encroachers,” he added. Sources said as per the masterplan, trees would be planted along the riverbanks once the encroachers are evicted. Recreation spots would also be built on the recovered lands and a monitoring team would work for preventing the riverbanks from encroachment again. Basing on the report of this team, further eviction drives would be carried out at any time.
