The High Court today observed that the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) is the concerned authority to control and stop 68 underground drains and sewerage lines connected to Buriganga River.

These drains and sewerage lines have been polluting the Buriganga River, and the pollution must be stopped, as the purpose of this court is to clean up the river, the HC said, adding that Dhaka city corporations are responsible to control the surface pipelines in the capital city.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has recently submitted a compliance report to the HC saying that there are 68 underground drains and sewerage lines connected to Buriganga River.

Today, the HC bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore and Justice Mohammad Ullah fixed December 8 for passing an order on this issue.

The bench made the observation and fixed the date while hearing a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh in 2010 seeking necessary orders to prevent water pollution in the Buriganga.

Meanwhile, the HC ordered the BIWTA to identify whether there are any waste disposal lines connected to both the shores of Buriganga in Dhaka except for the 68 underground drains and sewerage lines and to seal them by January 7 next year.

BIWTA has been asked to submit a report after complying with the directive before the HC by January 7 as its lawyer Advocate Syed Mafizur Rahman sought time for this purpose.