Steps soon to reclaim canals: Minister

Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain on Thursday said the government will take necessary steps to reclaim the natural canals in and around the capital. While visiting sites illegally filled on the banks of the Balu River in Gulshan area, Mosharraf warned that the government will not give clearance to any housing project if its land is developed by filling natural canals. Those who have already filled the canals with sands and dirt must restore their natural condition before submitting applications for the approval of projects, he said. The minister expressed his dissatisfaction over the indiscriminate land-filling along the Balu River and the areas under rivers and canals can easily be traced by using maps even after the land-filling. Despite the damages already done, the river can be revived by dredging and preventing the land-filling, he observed, according to UNB.