Shawdesh desk:

The capital’s ‘Paris Road canal’ in Mirpur area has turned into a problem for dwellers as it becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes in the dry season while causes waterlogging in the monsoon.

Locals said the half kilometre canal with 20-25 feet width which starts from Baisteki and flows through Paris Road, Avenue-5 finally connects with Rupnagar canal though section 11, but it has turned into a drainage line somewhere while it loses its existence in some places due to grabbing.

Besides, the dwellers and businessmen on both sides of the canal are dumping waste mindlessly resulting in siltation in the canal bed and causing the blockage in water flow.

They also said local ruling party men illegally develop slums on both sides of the canals and rent out them to the poor people but the authorities concerned are not taking any action against them.

Sources said a recent survey of Dhaka North City Corporation has found grabbers in two parts of the canal; one in D-Block Mirpur-10 and Jhutepotti area.

During a recent visit to Paris Road canal in Mirpur, this correspondent saw that from the DNCC 3 no. ward councillor office to Mirpur New Society Market, there were several hundred establishments set up illegally.

Near the camp of stranded Pakistanis under Mirpur 11, the canal becomes a covert drain and the dwellers of the camp have extended their buildings on the canals. Local ruling party men have set up an office of 3 no. ward Awami League grabbing the canal.

Pappu, a dweller of the camp, said: “We have extended our house because our house is very small in size and there is a small open space available beside my house.”

Tara Mia, a resident of the ward, said the Paris road, Avenue-5 and Mirpur 11 go under wastewater during monsoon and people of the ward suffer immensely.

He said, “The office of 3 no. ward councillor goes under waist-deep water during the rainy season as the rainwater cannot pass through the canal due to siltation of waste and illegal grabbing of canals.”

While talking to the Daily Sun, Milk Vita slum dweller Ferdousi Begum who owns a house on the bank of the canal  said that she has bought a three-room tin shed through a non-judicial stamp from a person.

“When my house at Mehendiganj under Barishal was taken away by a river, we came to Dhaka. I bought the three-room tin shed 13 years ago with Tk 70,000 from a person. One room of my house was demolished by the City Corporation when they built a road. Now, nobody wants to buy the room as it is the land of the canal.”

She along with other dwellers of the slum admitted that they dump their household wastes into the canal.

“The men of City Corporation don’t collect waste from our slum and that’s why we dump our waste into the canal,” she also said.

Mohammad Shahin, a resident of Jhutepotti Bosti, said the mosquito menace has turned terrible in the dry season.

“Our life has turned into hell due to the mosquito menace and we don’t see any solution to the problem,” he also said.

DNCC 3 no. ward councillor Kazi Jahirul Islam Manik said, “It is unbearable for us. The canal needs to be freed from illegal occupation and pollution to offer city dwellers a relief from waterlogging problem.”

DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam said, “We have hired Bangladesh Army as a consultant for demarcation of boundaries of all the canals under the city corporation. When the demarcation work ends, we will evict all the illegal grabbers conducting the drive.”

He also said the DNCC will make the canal bank as entertainment and communication hub by constructing parks and walkways.