Minister takes a swipe at urban experts

Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain criticised Sunday the urban experts who prepared Detailed Area Plan (DAP), saying that they didn't visit the places at all and drew line sitting inside their rooms.
He suggested finalising a realistic and time-befitting Dhaka Structure Plan by involving all the parties within next one year with firm commitment to implement it by all the relevant agencies without facing any obstacle.
The minister's criticism came while addressing as the chief guest the inaugural session of a two-day seminar on draft Dhaka Structure Plan (2016-2035) at Rajuk auditorium in the city.   
He claimed that enough water bodies and open space are kept in the housing projects developed by Rajuk.
Citing an example of Purbachal project, he said a 48-km long lake has been kept there to ensure normal water flow.   
He also called upon the private housing companies to keep sufficient water bodies while developing any housing project.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayor Annisul Huq, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayor Sayeed Khokon, Narayanganj City Corporation mayor Selina Hayat Ivy and acting mayor of Gazipur City Corporation Asadur Rahman took part in the discussion.
The speakers at the discussion came down heavily on various plans and mismatch in the activities of Rajuk.
Emphasising on coordination between Rajuk and city corporation, Sayeed Khokon said the mismatch of Rajuk has put the city corporation into serious trouble.
"Dhaka can be made liveable only when we will plan it in a cool brain," he said.
Echoing him, Annisul Huq asked the authority to finalise the implementation schedule of the new structure plan for Dhaka first.
Selina Hayat Ivy said sustainable development is impossible in a hurry. "Should we prepare plans only or should we implement them too?" she asked.  
Rajuk chief urban planner Sirajul Islam made a presentation on the summary of the draft Dhaka Structure Plan while Rajuk chairman Jaynal Abedin Bhuiyan chaired the inaugural session.
Earlier in 1959, a structural plan for an area of 30 sq km for the 1960-1980 period and another with an area of 1528 sq km for the period between 1995-2015 were prepared for development of Dhaka. The present structure plan is being prepared for 1624 sq km for the period of 2016-2035.   
Mr Mosharraf said Dhaka WASA has taken initiative to reclaim 26 out of total 54 canals. When these canals remain open, people dump garbage into them and block those which ultimately hamper drainage of rainwater.
"It is not the responsibility of the government or service agencies alone to keep the city clean and make it liveable. The residents of Dhaka city in general should be aware too," he said.
UNB report adds: Engineer Mosharraf Hossain said the government will seal off the commercial structures built illegally in residential areas of the capital.
"When you go to Gulshan, you'll see so many restaurants are there on the ground floors of residential buildings. We can't accept those unauthorised set-ups," he told the seminar.
Mosharraf said the country's all rivers are being grabbed accelerating water woes in the country. "I think all the grabbed rivers should be reclaimed.
About Dhaka's water problems, the Housing Minister said there are many box-culverts in the city through which rainwater flows. "But, I think, the authorities never clean up the culverts."
He said the city dwellers dump waste indiscriminately polluting the environment and they need to be aware about the city environment.
All the footpaths of the city are illegally occupied, Mosharraf said, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) had taken a move to make the footpaths free from occupation, the move finally fell flat.
"Now, Dhaka has turned into a city of rickshaws. It's time to think which vehicles will ply which streets in a mega city like Dhaka."
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