THE deplorable condition of Banani Lake, as a front-page photograph that 抖阴精品 published on August 20 shows, is reflective of the sorry state of the water bodies in and around the capital. Moss and accumulated waste have turned the water of the lake black, emitting a foul odour and making it a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. The state of other water bodies can easily be imagined given that the authorities have left Banani Lake, in an upscale area where waste collection is more regular, in such a squalid condition. The dreadful state of Dhaka鈥檚 water bodies can, indeed, hardly be overstated. Nearly all the canals and lakes in and around Dhaka have either deteriorated significantly or are headed towards complete extinction because of unregulated waste disposal and persistent encroachment. Unplanned dumping of wastes, refuse and sludge continues to degrade these vital water bodies, polluting the environment, causing water stagnation and endangering public health. The existence of several canals and lakes is now only nominal, with physical traces of them entirely lost. Many others are headed in the same direction amid inaction on part of the authorities concerned.
According to the office of the Dhaka鈥檚 deputy commissioner, the city has 54 canals. The Institute of Water Modelling lists 50 while the National River Conservation Commission records 77. Responsibility for the maintenance and preservation of these canals and lakes lies primarily with the two city corporations, both of which have made repeated pledges to protect them. The environment adviser, also a renowned green activist, also spoke of protecting and preserving the water bodies. Yet, not a single canal in Dhaka today is free of pollution or encroachment. The water retention zones and flood flow zones are also disappearing fast. Nearly two-thirds of the designated water retention and flood flow zones have been encroached on, often by state agencies and influential quarters. Besides encroachment, the city authorities鈥� failure to collect and safely dispose of waste has led to haphazard dumping on roadsides and into water bodies. More than a half of the waste generated daily in Dhaka is not properly collected or disposed of, leading to grave environmental and health hazards. Various government and non-governmental agencies have come up with specific recommendations for safe and effective waste management and for preserving the water bodies to make Dhaka, one of the least liveable cities now, liveable again, but unfortunately to no avail.
It is high time the authorities moved beyond hollow rhetoric and demonstrated the will to reclaim and protect the canals, wetlands, green spaces and water bodies. The government should adopt an integrated approach that addresses all the factors, including waste management, that contribute to the degradation of the vital ecological assets.