City corporations to get charges of canals in a month: Minister

The charges of Dhaka canals will be transferred to two Dhaka city corporations from Wasawithin a month, said Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Md Tazul Islam.

The technical committee which was formed to develop a smooth handover process is working on the issue. Once they submit their report, the handover process will start, he said.

The minister expressed his optimism that the handover process will be done within January next.

The minister made these remarks in reply to questions from journalists during the launching ceremony of "Hand Washing on Wheels", a handwashing programme jointly initiated by Dhaka Wasa and WaterAid.

The programme was launched in the capital's Karwan Bazar area on Saturday.

Under this initiative, 10 vans, equipped with handwashing materials, will move around the populous areas in the capitals so that pedestrians could wash their hands on streets, a key measure to fight the Covid-19 infection.

Besides the handwashing facility, different awareness-raising information on Covid-19 pandemic will also be publicised from these mobile vans.

The Swedish embassy is also a collaborator with this project.

Raising awareness on the prevention of the coronavirus, the LGRD minister said there is no alternative to washing hands to fight the virus.

The city dwellers will get benefits from this project as the mobile vans will provide handwashing solutions, raising awareness among people on Covid-19.

The minister said the Sheikh Hasina-led government remains alert to fight the possible second wave of the pandemic in the country.

"The number of Covid-testing PCR labs surpasses the 100 mark in the country and the intensive care unit (ICU) facility has now been ensured in every district," Tazul Islam continued.

Taqsem A Khan, managing director of Dhaka Wasa; Muhammad Ibrahim, additional secretary at LGRD ministry; and Hasin Jahan, country director of WaterAid' were present among others at the event.