Khulna City Corporation (KCC) has suspended its drive against encroachers of canals reportedly due to fund crisis although half of the city canals still remain under the grip of illegal occupiers.
Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque, who is now abroad, however showed no specific reason for discontinuing the drive that was launched on July 3 with a vow to free the canals from encroachers.
A new long-term project is being planned to resume the drive with the same aim, said acting Mayor Azmal Ahmed Tapan who was made convenor of the 16-member drive committee after the murder of his predecessor ward councillor Shahid Iqbal Bithar on July 11.
Tapan hasn't shown any reason for planning a new project by discontinuing the previous drive that was praised by city dwellers who are the worst victims of waterlogging problem.
Khaleque said that a move is underway to take up a new project to modernise the drainage system aiming at solving the waterlogging problem.
Sources said the KCC will ask for an allocation of fund from the government to implement the new project aiming at modernising the drainage system as well as freeing the canals in consultation with encroachers.
The mayor also did not clarify why he now needs consultation to free the remaining canals from the grip of encroachers. Of the total 50 city canals, the KCC evicted illegal grabbers from 25 canals until October 1 while the rest of the canals are still under the clutches of encroachers.
A reliable source of KCC said most of the remaining 25 city canals are under the occupation of ruling party men and some influential businessmen of Khulna city.
Denying this allegation, the mayor said that the drive had been suspended to make room for a long-term project for permanent solution of the city's waterlogging problem.
"No one would be spared as I am committed to free the canals from encroachers irrespective of political affiliation," Khaleque said.
He further said that at least Tk 20 crore would be needed to implement the new project. KCC has no such fund of its own to implement the new project.
The planned new long-term project includes re-excavation of canals after freeing those from illegal grabbers, interconnections of re-excavated canals with rivers and modernisation of drainage system, he said.
The mayor could not say when fund for implementation of the new project would be available for resuming the drive against encroachers of canals.
Discontinuation of the drive against encroachers has created sharp reaction among the city dwellers.
Human Resource Management Officer Sazzadur Rahim Pantho of NGO Christian Service Society (CSS) said that slum dwellers are worst victims of waterlogging in rainy season. Because the slum areas of the city do not have any drainage system, he said.
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