Dhaka city canals in death throes

Although it is almost impossible to fathom, canals have been a significant part of the capital's landscape. Even in the late 70s and early 80s the city was blessed with the flowing waters of over 50 canals. But not anymore. Almost half of the canals are gone. And the last remaining 26 are struggling for their survival too, due to unabated encroachments, mindless dumping of solid wastes and sheer negligence of their lawful protectors. The Daily Star reports how we are choking the canals to death, when they are such a vital aspect for the city's lifeline. The first report of the series is published today.

The canals in the capital, which were once so lively with fresh water flow and aquatic biodiversity, are now in death throes due to unabated encroachments and pollution.

Most of them have lost all of its life saving matters, including water stream, and water quality.

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) has got both the mandate and programmes to protect the canals but the sorry states the canals are in now, give no reflection that Wasa has done its part.

Even though keeping the canals, box culverts over canals, storm water drains and surface drains clean is the mandate, improper maintenance had made the canals vulnerable and they have lost their width, depth and eventually the water-carrying capacity.

Partly because dumping of waste and partly owing to the absence of proper waste management by the two city corporations in some areas, the canals take the brunt of the haphazard garbage dumping.

Sludge cleaned up from the storm water drains and surface drains by the Wasa and the city corporations are often kept in open and not removed from the spots, thus those falling back to the drains during rains.

Due to the lack of canals, still a third of the city area is not under the coverage of drainage system of Wasa.

The Wasa had earlier taken initiatives in line with a decision of the last caretaker government to recover 26 out of 43 canals from encroachers.

However, the initiatives have not yielded proper success. Besides, once the recovery drive is over, many of the canals again get encroached due to lack of excavation, proper demarcation and monitoring, experts say.

A list of 43 canals was prepared by a committee formed in 2004 to come forward with recommendations to identify, recover and reopen the canals. The committee also identified 26 canals under Wasa as recoverable, says an official.

However, the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM), which prepared a map of drainage canals of Dhaka city in 2007-2008, mentions 50 canals. Five additional canals on the list are Kuril-Boaliya, Khilkhet Boaliya, Koshaibari-Boaliya, Boaliya-Bowfar, and Kashibari-Uttara Railway Boropit canals.

The other canals which are not under Wasa are Char Kamrangir Khal, Begunbari-Meradiya-Gajariya, Dakkhingaon-Nandipara, Rajarbagh-Nandipara, Nasirabad-Nandipara, Nandipara-Trimohoni and Boufar (Boualiya) canals.

During a recent visit to a dozen of city canals it was found that the cleaning activities of the canals were not done properly and in most cases the works were done only to remove the surface level garbage. Wasa does not even clean all mouths and adjoining areas of sluice gates.

SEGUNBAGICHA CANAL

The Wasa started cleaning the Segunbagicha canal around four months back, but during a visit at different parts of the canal on May 12, solid waste was found at many points including on the western side of Maniknagar Wasa Bridge.

Even a big chunk of sludge kept after cleaning the canal near Anondo Bazar Bridge at Manik Nagar around one month back was still there leaving a chance of dropping the sludge again to the canal during rain.

Encroachment near the Maniknagar Wasa Bridge shrunk the canal at East Manik Nagar.

Mohammad Babul, a resident of Manik Nagar said Manik Nagar was a marshy land in 1970s and only 13 buildings were there.

Solaiman Hossain, resident of Manda, said as there were no facilities to manage household garbage, all the residents who live on the two sides of the canals dump it there. He said the garbage of Mugda Bazar is also being dumped here.

There is a dust bean which is around half a kilometer away from their area for which no one wants to go there to dump their garbage, he said. “We have requested the city corporation many times to make a door-to-door garbage collecting system like the other areas but we did not get any positive response so far,” he added.

Same scenario of dumping garbage was found in the canals like Khilgaon-Basabo, Manda, Jirani, Sanbadik Colony, Baishteki, Ibrahimpur and Hazaribagh.    

CONFLUENCE POINT OF FOUR CANALS

The confluence point of four canals (Segunbagicha, Jirani, Khilgaon-Basabo and Manda) was found shrunk due to land grabbing.

Though it is very essential to keep a vast place at the confluence point to retain water for a certain time but encroachment is going on fast.

SANGBADIK COLONY CANAL

The condition of the canal was found so bad that a person will be able to walk through the canal due to mindless dumping of solid waste.

Kuddus, a shopkeeper near Kalshi road, said the authorities concerned have cleaned the canal around six months back but it got filled up with garbage again.

BAISTAKE CANAL

The Baistake canal was encroached at different points and got narrowed.

Md Golam Faruk, a resident of the area, said the canal had around 100 feet width, which was reduced to even five to seven feet at different points.

Due to rampant dumping of solid waste from different adjoining houses and garments factories, the canal lost its navigability shortly after its cleaning work, he said.

IBRAHIMPUR CANAL

The pile of garbage was seen on the south side of canal at Ibrahimpur Pool during the visit. Baro Mian, a resident of Ibrahimpur, said the canal was cleaned around one month back, but it again got filled up due to continuous dumping of solid waste.

Monir, a resident of Ibrahimpur, said, “They just cleaned the surface garbage. The amount of garbage would be around 7/8 feet high but they only cleaned less than one foot.”

HAZARIBAGH CANAL

During a recent visit to Hazaribagh canal it was found that the canal was filled with tannery waste. Abul Mian, leader of day labourers, said it is not possible to clean the bed with day labourers as it needs machine to clean it properly.

Though they are cleaning the canal, the factories are dumping its waste continuously, he said.

KHILGAON-BASABO CANAL

During a visit in April, many small trees and grass were seen on the bed of the Khilgaon-Basabo canal, which is a sign of not cleaning the canal for long.

BAUNIA CANAL

Once the name of the Baunia canal was "Kahor Doriya" [huge waterway], as it was as wide as a river. But now it has been reduced and falling prey to illegal grabbing.

The water bodies have turned into different plots and many structures were built. Earth filling at many points is also going on.

The 26 canals are Kallyanpur main canal, Kallyanpur Ka, Kha, Gha, Uma and Cha canals, Katasur, Ramchandpur, Abdullahpur, Diyabari, Digun, Gulshan-Banani, Mohakhali, Hazaribagh, Begunbari, Khilgaon-Basabo, Manda, Sutivola, Badda-Shahjadpur, Rupnagar, Baisteki, Kalshi, Bouniya, Ibrahimpur canals, Housing canal in Mirpur-14 and Jirani canal.