THE terrible state of canals in Dhaka exposes the chronic failure of the authorities to protect the ecological lifelines despite repeated promises and costly restoration projects. The canals that once sustained local ecosystems, carried rainwater and supported community life have now turned into foul-smelling drains clogged with plastic, sewage and municipal wastes. Residents in various parts of the city recount how once-living waterways where people swam and caught fish have become dumping grounds overwhelmed by encroachment and pollution. The situation shows not only environmental neglect but also the collapse of urban governance and waste management in the capital. The state of Jirani Khal, Kajla Khal, Kutubkhali Khal, Hazaribagh Khal and Ramchandrapur Khal shows, as New Age reported on May 22, a disturbing pattern. Canals are cleaned sporadically, only to become clogged again within days because of indiscriminate waste dumping, illegal sewage connections and the continued occupation of canal land by influential quarters. In some places, portions of canals have become so filled that people can cross them on foot. Illegal structures, bamboo platforms and even high-rise projects continue to narrow waterways and obstruct water flow with apparent impunity. Such encroachment, often backed by politically influential individuals, persists despite eviction drives.
According to the office of Dhaka’s deputy commissioner, the city has 54 canals. Responsibility for the maintenance and preservation of most of these canals lies primarily with the two city authorities. The city corporations acknowledge that canals become polluted again soon after cleaning because residents and businesses continue to dump waste into them. The admission only highlights the inability of the authorities at enforcing waste disposal regulations and preventing illegal occupation. Moreover, the city corporations often delay or halt their cleaning and eviction drives in the name of forthcoming or ongoing restoration project. A south city official, for example, argues that carrying out cleaning operations before the completion of an ongoing restoration project involving four canals would amount to a ‘waste of labour.’ Such reasoning reflects a dangerous complacency in an escalating environmental and public health crisis. Delaying regular maintenance while waiting for long-term infrastructure projects to finish only allows the condition of the canals to deteriorate. What should be also noted is that the degradation of Dhaka’s canals is closely linked to the broad failures of urban planning and waste management. The city, which generates enormous quantities of waste every day, still lacks an effective system for waste collection, recycling and disposal.
The government, which has taken a nationwide initiative to excavate and restore canals, must put a special emphasis on canals in and around Dhaka. In so doing, the authorities must move beyond cosmetic clean-up drives and undertake coordinated action involving regular maintenance, public awareness campaigns and strict enforcement against polluters and encroachers regardless of political influence.
