Ecnec approves project to remove city water logging

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved on Tuesday a project to excavate and develop 100 feet of canals from Kuril to the Balu River on both sides of the Kuril Purbachal Link Road at a cost of Tk 55.30 billion (5,530.13 crore) to remove the water-logging problem in some key areas of the capital, reports UNB.

The approval came at the 8th Ecnec meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan said a total of six projects were approved with an outlay of Tk 88.25 billion. "Of the total project cost, Tk 63.14 billion will come from the national exchequer and Tk 23.58 billion from project assistance."

Of the six approved projects, four are new while two are revised ones.

The main objective of the canal excavation project is to remove the problem of water

logging from Nikunja, Baridhara, Joarsahara, DOHS, Cantonment, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Kalachandpur and nearby areas. The project has been approved in line with the Detailed Area Plan (DAP).

The major project activities include some 98.46 acres of land acquisition, some 728522.97 cubic metres of land excavation.

Sources close to the Ecnec meeting said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the meeting asked the authorities concerned to keep the option of water bodies in case of development of any area.