The two city corporations of Dhaka have given the responsibility of cleaning and maintaining 26 canals from Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) to reduce long-standing water lodging in the city.

DWASA on Thursday officially handed over the responsibility of 26 canals in the city to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).

The responsibility for canal maintenance in the capital was officially handed over by Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Tajul Islam through a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Hotel Intercontinental.

With this, DSCC and DNCC have been entrusted with the responsibility of cleaning the canals of the capital, waste management, canal salvage, canal bank obstruction and construction of walkways.

LGRD Minister Md Tajul Islam said, “The two city corporations will take all the responsibilities for resolving waterlogging problems and they will have to do the work taking help from other agencies and residents of Dhaka city from today.”

The minister said, DWASA had been maintaining 26 canals (84.5 km long), 385 km storm water drains, and 10 box culverts (around 10 km) since 1988. Two city corporations will now maintain and manage 2,200 km pipe drains and surface drains.

Tajul Islam said, “The government has taken different initiatives to increase civic service and it is being implemented in phases. Hopefully the people can give example of the beauty of Dhaka city in near future instead of giving example of Singapore or other developed cities in the world.”

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said, “Today is a historical day for the city dwellers. Water logging will not be happening in Dhaka city in upcoming rainy season, I hope. This activity will be done by the political leadership of LGRD Minister.”

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam said, “All the canals under the DNCC have been cleaned that is why there is no possibility of water logging ahead. Besides, we have taken projects to increase beauty of the canals.”