Govt to stop pollution of Halda river, Savar tannery estate

The government has decided taking effective actions to stop pollution of Halda river in Chittagong and tannery estate in Savar.

This was informed at the 34th meeting of the taskforce on prevention of pollution and maintaining navigability in rivers, said an official release.

Presided over by Taskforce Chairman and Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, the meeting was held in the shipping ministry.

Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif, Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources Ministry Ramesh Chandra Sen and representatives of other ministries attended the meeting.

The meeting was told that 43 big tanneries were shifted so far. Actions will be taken following talks with religious leaders regarding the religious structures on river banks.

The meeting was also informed that 2,586 CS survey maps and 2,073 RS survey maps would be collected for Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Manikganj districts.

It was also told that 9,500 RCC pillars would be built or rebuilt along 50 kilometers rivers around Dhaka city.

The meeting decided that lease money for foreshores in river port areas could not be collected from anyone other than Bangladesh Inland Transport Authority (BIWTA).

The meeting stressed the need for evicting 13 illegal structures on the banks of the Buriganga and recovering the original channel of Buriganga.

Source: BSS