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courts all over the year to evict illegal occupiers.

After 34 years, DSCC took charge of the canals, box-culverts and drains from Wasa on December 31 last year, according to Taposh.

DSCC started drives against illegal occupants and waster collection work from January 2 this year, he added.

Through several drives from January 11 to March 23, some 730 decimals or 7.30 acres of land adjacent to the canals of Jirani, Manda and Shyampur were recovered from illegal occupation.

A total of 155 cases were filed and fines worth Tk 4,91,900 were imposed, while portions of 145 permanent and 220 temporary establishments were demolished during the drives.

After recovering the illegally occupied land, as many as 2,727 boundary pillars have been set up.

The mayor said they have already collected 8 lakh tonnes of waste from canals, box-culverts and drains since taking charge of them from Wasa. After clearing the waste, their capacity of holding water has increased, reducing water-logging significantly.

As part of the long-term plan, Taposh said DSCC has completed a pre-work survey to revive the original Buriganga channel, while a process is underway to appoint a consultancy firm to this end.