Tk 5,530 cr project to remove city`s water logging okayed

UNB, Dhaka :The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved a mega project to excavate and develop 100-foot canals from Kuril to the Balu River on both sides of the Kuril Purbachal link road spending Tk 5,530.13 crore to remove water logging problems in some key areas of the capital.The approval came at the 8th Ecnec meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.Briefing reporters after the meeting, State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan said total six projects were approved yesterday with an outlay of Tk 8,825.02 crore. “Of the total project cost, Tk 6,314.35 crore will come from the national exchequer, Tk 152.40 crore from the organisation’s own fund, while Tk 2,358.28 crore from project assistance.”Of the approved six projects, four are new while two are revised ones. According to the Planning Commission, Rajuk under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works will implement the project by August 2018. The entire project cost will come from the public coffer.The main objective of the project is to remove the problem of water logging from Nikunja, Baridhara, Joarsahara, DOHS, Cantonment, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Kalachandpur and nearby areas. The project has been approved in line with the Detailed Area Plan (DAP).The major project activities include some 98.46 acres of land acquisition, some 728522.97 cubic meters land excavation. Sources close to the Ecnec meeting said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the meeting asked the authorities concerned to keep provision of water bodies in case of development of any area.Referring to this canal project, she said there were canals along almost every road and these days water logging is often seen as the roadside canals have been filled.In this connection, she said, a proposed project of developing 100 plots at Nikunja was cancelled as might cause water logging in the airport area. Extending her thanks to the Planning Commission for bringing such project, Hasina said implementation of project with such nature is often difficult as there might be many news items against the project.