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Most encroachments on Buriganga

Lack of coordination between dist admin, BIWTA blamed

By Staff Correspondent
Most encroachments on river Buriganga arc the result of lack of coordination between the district administration and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), sources said
Licenses issued by the BL WTA to port-oriented businesses for setting up of Jetties along the shore also played a Mg part, the sources added.
The shore and the foreshore of the river are leased to the BL WTA by the district administration. which is headed by the Deputy Commissioner (DC). The BIWTA has to maintain the shore, foreshore and the river channel.
But DC office sources said a se< lion of its own officials are handing over hundreds of acres of shore and foreshore areas to individuals without Informing the BIWTA.
These individuals, with the
blessings of political Influen-tials. nave .indiscriminately filled up the river by showing either that they leased the area from the DC' office or ownership documents.
BIWTA sources said although they arc supposed to maintain and preserve all the three components of the river, the DC office “virtually keeps selling out the river till date.
On the other hand, a section of BIWTA officials have abused their power to issue yearly licenses to port oriented business houses along the river to set up Jetties for loading and unload* Ing goods.
Once someone obtains a Bl* WTA license to set up a Jetty, he fills up the river and sets up a jetty, BIWTA sources said. There has never been any monitoring following the issuance of licenses and the business houses took full advantage of
the negligence.
The BIWTA officials admitted that hundreds of businesses have not bothered to obtain the BIWTA license and have encroached upon the river. Political muscle power played a key part in most cases.
In the case of Sena.Kalyan Sangstha (SKS). which encroached upon about 820 feet area of the Buriganga to build a berthing and godown facilities at Shvampur near Postogola, BIWTA was not even approached.
Following series of reports in the Daily Star since Tuesday, the SKS Is trying to obtain permission from the BIWTA alter completion of I he project
The BIWTA sources said they arc in a position to offer a license to the SKS to operate their berthing and godown facilities it it meets their technical special
fications.
"We will see to it that the water flow is not obstructed and the navigational channel is unhindered before we issue the license." said an official, preferring anonymity.
But other sources said the BIWTA’s decision to issue a license to the SKS will decide the fate of Buriganga. If the BIWTA legalises the SKS project, then many others will follow suit and in that case the river will die.
"Whatever concession BIWTA makes for the SKS to issue the license will become a landmark decision and decide the fate of the lifeline of the city to a great extent." said an official source.