Greening of 33 canals, lakes set to begin next week: Dhaka North administrator

To combat encroachment and reduce pollution, a collaborative effort is set to begin next week to plant trees along the banks of 33 canals and lakes in Dhaka city. 

The initiative, aimed at enhancing greenery and improving the environmental quality of these water bodies, was announced by Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Mohammad Ejaz during a meeting with volunteer organisations at Nagar Bhaban in Dhaka yesterday.

Ejaz said that an action plan will be formulated, with the implementation of this green initiative slated to begin within the coming week. 

Volunteers from various participating organisations presented field observations, highlighting the current state of the canals and offering actionable plans for their improvement.

Based on the information provided by the volunteers, Ejaz stressed the need for swift action in areas where irregularities have been identified. 

He further highlighted the importance of raising public awareness, with the assistance of volunteers, to prevent the disposal of household waste into the canals.

Ejaz also directed relevant departments to promptly remove household waste from canal banks and create a suitable environment for planting trees along the canal edges. 

In a move to prevent environmental degradation and reduce plastic waste, Ejaz issued a directive to eliminate plastic boxes and bottled water at all Dhaka North events.

The organisations that will work with Dhaka North to improve greenery along the canal and lake banks include Brighters, Climate Frontier, You Can, OAB Foundation, Renew Earth, Youth Environment and Development Organization, Green Voice, Community Town Federation, Eco Network Global, and O Human Society Foundation, among others.

The meeting was attended by Dhaka North's Chief Waste Management Officer ABM Shamsul Alam, other officials, and representatives from the volunteer organisations.