The government has taken the decision, in principle, to hand over the charge of drainage system to Dhaka north and south city corporations. Up until now, drainage system has been under Wasa’s jurisdiction.
Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam took the decision today at a meeting at the ministry’s conference room in presence of Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam and Wasa Managing Director Taqsem A Khan.
Read more: Give drainage to Dhaka city corporations
To start the process, the government has formed a 14-member committee with Additional Secretary (water supply wing) of Local Government Division Mohammad Ibrahim as head and Deputy Secretary of Local Government Sayed Ur Rahman as member secretary.
The committee also includes four officials from each of the two city corporations and Wasa, the minister said after the meeting.
Although maintaining the drainage system is the job of a city corporation but Wasa was discharging this duty as per instruction from the president, he said.
“As Wasa has been maintaining the system for a long time, we will discuss the logistical support, manpower, infrastructural and other related issues with it before starting the handover process,” he said.
Replying to a query, the minister said the government previously made proposals to hand over the responsibilities of the drainage system to the city corporation in the past but the city corporation was not interested. “We have taken the initiatives now since the two current mayors showed interest,” he added.
During the meeting, DNCC Mayor Atiqul said no matter how influential the grabbers are, they will recover the canals.
“As we have taken the responsibility, we hope the outcome will benefit Dhaka dwellers,” said DSCC Mayor Taposh.
