Stop construction, earth filling in Haikkar canal: HC
Thursday, 9 December 2010
The High Court (HC) has ordered the deputy commissioner (DC) of Dhaka to stop all construction and landfilling at Haikkar canal along Mohammadpur flood protection dam in the capital, report agencies.
A bench comprising Justices AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Sheikh Zakir Hossain Wednesday gave the order upon a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.
At the same time, the court asked the government to explain within three weeks as to why direction should not be given to protect the canal ensuring its normal flow down to the river Buriganga.
Moreover, the land survey department director general, Dhaka DC and WASA managing director were asked to submit a report on the demarcation of the canal by conducting a survey in order to restore its original shape.
The Haikker canal, which links the river Turag with the Buriganga, now faces obliteration as a vested quarter continues to fill it up.
Advocate Manjil Morshed, lawyer for the petitioner, said that this sort of canal filling was unlawful according to Environment Conservation Act and Water Body Conservation Act but some land grabbers were filling up the capital's waterways, posing a threat to the environment.
The petition was filed on Dec 6 following a news story on Haikkar canal in an English daily.
The local government secretary, the Dhaka mayor, land survey department director general, Dhaka deputy commissioner, WASA managing director and Mohammadpur thana officer-in-charge were also served show cause notices.
A bench comprising Justices AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Sheikh Zakir Hossain Wednesday gave the order upon a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.
At the same time, the court asked the government to explain within three weeks as to why direction should not be given to protect the canal ensuring its normal flow down to the river Buriganga.
Moreover, the land survey department director general, Dhaka DC and WASA managing director were asked to submit a report on the demarcation of the canal by conducting a survey in order to restore its original shape.
The Haikker canal, which links the river Turag with the Buriganga, now faces obliteration as a vested quarter continues to fill it up.
Advocate Manjil Morshed, lawyer for the petitioner, said that this sort of canal filling was unlawful according to Environment Conservation Act and Water Body Conservation Act but some land grabbers were filling up the capital's waterways, posing a threat to the environment.
The petition was filed on Dec 6 following a news story on Haikkar canal in an English daily.
The local government secretary, the Dhaka mayor, land survey department director general, Dhaka deputy commissioner, WASA managing director and Mohammadpur thana officer-in-charge were also served show cause notices.