Khulna City Corporation launched a drive yesterday to recover canals from encroachers and demolish illegal structures that are hampering storm-water drainage through the canals.
Sources said around 20 shops, two houses, a school and a madrasa were torn down during day-1 of the drive.
Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque inaugurated the eviction drive levelling an embankment illegally constructed on the Nirala canal at Sabujbag in the city.
The drive went on along the canal up to Gallamari area in presence of the panel mayor, ward councillors, officials and employees of the Khulna City Corporation and leaders of a number of professional and socio-cultural organisations of the city.
On February 5, Mayor Khaleque presided over a meeting held at Nagar Bhaban auditorium where Khulna Divisional Commissioner Eunusur Rahman, deputy inspector general (DIG) of Khulna Range Police, commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police, officials of Local Government Engineering Department and Water Development Board, leaders of civil rights groups of Khulna and Khulna Press Club were present.
A 19-member committee was formed in that meeting with additional deputy commissioner as its convener. The committee was asked to identify illegal structures built on 22 canals of the city and submit a report to the mayor by March 24.
“I have been compelled to launch this eviction drive as individuals and organisations involved in such unlawful activities did not pay heed to my appeals to remove their illegal structures by May 7,” the mayor said.
The eviction drive will continue until demolition of the last illegal structure erected by encroachers on the canals is complete, he said.
Sources say that there are over 200 illegal structures on the canals of the city which include houses, shops, a mosque, a madrasa, two schools, a pump house of Khulna City Corporation, bus ticket counters, an office of a ward councillor, an Urban Primary Health Care Centre, Government Nurses’ Quarters, rickshaw garages and fish enclosures.
Some of the illegal houses belong to officials of civil service and the police.
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