10-yr master plan undertaken to free rivers from grabbers, pollution: Minister

Local Government and Rural Development Minister Md Tajul Islam said that a 10-year master plan has been taken to increase navigability of rivers around Dhaka and the Karnaphuli river of Chattogram and free those from land grabbers and pollution.

The Minister came up with the information after a meeting of a committee on the Master Plan.

The committee was formed as per the directive of the Prime Minister.

Eviction drive is being conducted to free the banks of the Buriganga and Shitalakhya rivers and eviction drives will be carried out soon in all other rivers, said the Minister.

He also said that the master will be finalised in the next meeting and it will be implemented in different phases.

Responding to a question whether any plan will be taken to solve the water-logging problem in the city, Tajul Islam said that it is not possible to resolve the problem instantly.

"We are taking initiatives. We will do whatever necessary to keep the situation at tolerable level," he said.

The minister also said that initiatives will be taken soon to make clean the clogged drains under two City Corporations in Dhaka and Chattogram City Corporation .

"As per the instructions of the Prime Minister, we have taken an initiative to develop planned city at the upazila level," he said.