DCs asked not to lease riverine land sans ministry\\\'s nod

The government asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) Thursday not to lease riverine land without taking prior permission from the ministry concerned.
The directive was given with an aim to stop river encroachment and pollution on the concluding day of the three-day conference of DCs, held at Cabinet Division at Bangladesh Secretariat.
"I've called upon the DCs not to lease riverine land without permission from the ministry concerned," Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan told the media after  his meeting with the DCs.
Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud also echoed the shipping minister, and urged the DCs to take steps against river encroachment and pollution.   
The water resources minister said the government had to take projects worth millions to save the rivers from encroachment and pollution.
He said if the rivers were free from pollution and encroachment, there had been no necessity to take those projects.
Terming the rivers as the lifelines of the country, he urged the DCs to take proper initiatives to protect the rivers from pollution and encroachment.  
He emphasised maintaining transparency while leasing the land owned by the Water Development Board.
"If anybody does not abide by the terms and conditions, then the lease must be cancelled. If there is any political pressure on you, just inform us directly," he urged the DCs.