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Rajuk set to take back all open spaces from DCC
Tawfique Ali
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) is set to take back all the parks, playgrounds and open spaces in the city from DCC in the wake of decade-long poor and frustrating performance of the city corporation in maintaining them.
As part of the move, Rajuk has already taken Gulshan South (Taltala) Park back from DCC and handed it over to Gulshan Society by a lease deal for its maintenance.
“DCC is unable to keep the public parks in proper shape,” said Rajuk Chairman KAM Haroon. “We are now verifying which parks, playgrounds and open spaces under Rajuk's ownership are being improperly used and in illegal occupancy.”
Rajuk has meanwhile informed the DCC that it is going to take over Gulshan Central Park too within this month. It also asked Gulshan Youth Club to explain the legality of the club's occupancy of the park.
“We will also go for eviction of the Wonderland from Gulshan Central Park once the ongoing legal battle is over,” said Haroon.
However, DCC Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka said there is no provision for taking a facility back from DCC. “The practice is that agencies like Rajuk and PWD will develop townships and hand over civic amenities to DCC for maintenance,” he said.
DCC Chief Executive Officer Md Alauddin said DCC has to return the parks and playgrounds as per rules if the government wishes so. “But we will try to convince the government about advantages of maintaining such spaces under DCC."
Rajuk handed over around 50 public parks and playgrounds in the city to DCC for maintenance during 1980s. Many of those arc untraceable as parks today, sources said.
Environmentalists and civic groups have always expressed serious disappointment that DCC, official custodian of a good many city parks and playgrounds, has miserably failed to live up to its duty of maintaining the public spaces.
DCC rents out parks and playgrounds for holding commercial events like fair, music concerts and weddirig ceremonies in exchange for money.
An unspecified number of city parks and playgrounds are either commercially used or in unauthorised possession as in case of Dhanmondi road-8 and Kalabagan playgrounds.
Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury, noted educationist and head of an advisory committee on the DCC's park development and beautification, said that Rajuk is not able to manage the city parks. "We are not hopeful about Rajuk's success in this regard,” he said.
DCC is a body that has local level representatives and it is easy for it to carry out the job of maintaining the city's public spaces, Prof Serajul said.
“Though it is true that DCC has miserably failed to maintain the city parks and playgrounds, job of this kind has to be done by the city corporation as the city dwellers pay taxes to it for such duties," he noted.
According to Prof Muzaffer Ahmad, a noted environmentalist and chairman of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), DCC is duty-bound to preserve and protect open space for the people but it has consistently been apathetic to its duty, destroying a good many open spaces in the old part of Dhaka.
Surveys conducted by the DCC and Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), an environmentalist group, show DCC's negligence to city's scanty breathing spaces. According to a survey carried out by DCC in June 2007, Shaheed Park (Makil Park) in Mohammadpur was being used commercially. Shyamoly Shishu Mela (children's park) is being used as a commercial amusement park.
Narinda Shishu Park is divided into a number of portions. Narinda Lions Club occupies one; a two-storey building occupies another while several tin sheds known as Wasa quarters occupy the rest. A small portion has been added to a nearby mosque.
A clubhouse occupies Outfall Staff Quarter Shishu Park (ward no-86).
Iqbal Road Shishu Park (Udayjal Ground) in Mohammadpur is occupied by a clubhouse while Hazaribagh Kasaitola Park is in possession of
another club.
Dhupkhola playground (ward no-81) is occupied with a rent-a-car office, rental cars, public toilet and a restaurant, says the DCC survey. One portion is occupied with a rickshaw garage, a shop of construction materials and two other shops.
As per findings of Bapa, Haji Alim Eidgah Math in Bakshibazar is at the disposal of Orient Cricket Academy. A kitchen market sits within the playground. Shyamoli Pisciculture Playground is occupied by Shyamoli Club and a kitchen market.
Swamibagh Park is a truck stand while Gulistan Park is encroached by Mahanagar Natyamancha. Vagabonds and drug addicts rule the park after dusk.
Main gate of Nabajug
Sharircharcha Park adjacent to Sadarhgat always remains under lock and key, according to the Bapa findings. There is a health club inside the park but its instruments and installations are decayed with rusts in absence of care.
Motijheel Park is used for public toilet and a bus stand. Nayatola Children's Park (Moghbazar) is encroached by ward commissioner's office and Wasa water pump. Lalmatia playground is occupied by makeshift shops.
Khilji Road Children’s Park (Mohammadpur) is used for waste dumping and car parking.
Traders in the neighbourhood have turned the Amligola Balu Math into a junkyard. Half of Shikkatuli Park remains encroached.