CHATTOGRAM, May 20: Chairman of the National River Protection Commission (NRPC) Mujibur Rahman Hawladar said the government is highly sensitive to the existence of the Halda River and will never tolerate any kind of encroachment upon and pollution of the water-body.
The NRPC chief ordered the district administration to pull down all the structures set up illegally on the banks of the river, which is the country's lone sweet-water fish breeding ground.
"The expert team of the Halda River has submitted its report to the government that gives a horrible picture of the illegal grabbing and pollution of the river. It has placed 23 recommendations for immediate implementation," he said.
"But the actual situation is harrowing," the Commission chief said after visiting the Halda in Raozan and Hathazari areas of the district on a speed boat along with the officials concerned, experts, researchers and public representatives on Sunday morning.
The government is working sincerely to implement the recommendations of the expert team, he added.
"The authorities will demolish all the illegal structures on both the banks of the river irrespective of any political identity," he said.
"Illegal grabbing is going on unabated. The sluice gates in the river are not working properly due to lack of maintenance. The way the water from the Khandakia Khal is polluting the Halda is beyond description," he added.
Stating that the grabbers are politically powerful, he said those people are trying to exert their political influence.
Although the local administration has stopped operation of all brick kilns, it could not evict one brick kiln because its owner is leader of a political party, he commented.
"We request them on behalf of the Commission to remove the brick kiln for the interest of the nation and the people. Please have respect to the law and do it at the earliest," he said.
Mujibur Rahman Hawladar stated visiting the river area at 10.00 am through the Madunaghat area and visited North and South Madarsha, Mohra and ended at Kalurghat area.
He also inspected the work of an embankment being constructed by the Water Development Board.
Member of the Commission Md Alauddin, Halda researcher and professor of Chittagong University Dr Monjurul Kibria, ADC (revenue) of Chattogram Md Delwar Hossain, Bangladesh Army 34 Engineering Construction Brigade Major Noor Zaman, Executive Engineer of Water Development Board Engineer Swapan Kumar Barua and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Hathazari Akhtarunnesa Sheuli, among others, were present.
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