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This canal is approximately three kilometres in length and is almost filled with dust, including solid waste, plastic, and household waste, which interferes with the regular water flow and causes waterlogging during the rainy season. Another adverse effect of pollution is the spread of mosquitoes that cause dengue, which increases during the monsoon. Yes, this has been the typical scenario at Ramchandpur Canal, located in Mohammadpur, which has been successfully cleaned to revive the biodiversity and environment of its surroundings.
The two-day-long project was conducted under the supervision of 2 government organisations, including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
The project started on June 20th and ended the following day, highlighting the importance of water flow for a healthy lifestyle.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Mohammad Ejaz, Administrator of DNCC, visited the project on the concluding day of the campaign.
More than 300 volunteers from DNCC and Footsteps actively participated in this work to provide a healthy life for the residents of the residence.
Moreover, the waste emits a stench that can spread airborne diseases to its nearby inhabitants.
The effect is especially severe for children and older people, as they often have a weakened immune system. Furthermore, this type of environmental pollution can lead to long-term health complications in the human body, which may sometimes result in fatal diseases among its inhabitants.
The government's campaign to rescue this canal was conducted several times in previous years, but no real benefit was gained from those efforts. Not only are the industrials responsible, but the general public is also responsible.
People deliberately throw plastic and other debris into the canal, which ultimately leads to the canal being filled with wastewater, making the once lively river a deadly one.
The sewage and construction debris pollute the water in this canal, which has a detrimental impact on aquatic life and contributes to the canal's poor condition.
The cleaning project of this year has made the dwellers surrounding the canal happy, but regular supervision is also crucial to maintaining this scenario throughout the year.
Public awareness should also be created in this regard, as any initiative will be ineffective without the proper understanding of its residents.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, talked to the journalists while visiting the campaign.
She said, "We can not ignore the significance of canals to our lives. However, the government can not serve the duty of cleaning the canals alone. The general public should assist us so that we can continue our work smoothly."
"If the dwellers of this region do not help us in this regard, no initiative will be successful. We also have a plan to make the canal deeper, but it may take some time, as the work may threaten the buildings surrounding the canal. But we are hoping to make a meaningful solution of it, and the residents of here will get benefits if our upcoming plans become successful," she added.
Mohammad Ejaz, Administrator of DNCC, also visited the campaign. He also attended the dialogue with the journalists at the campaign.
He said, "Canals have a good tie with the people of that residence. Any animosity at the flow of canals adversely affects the lifestyle of those residents. So, we have to be careful to protect the canals for our betterment."
There are several canals in Dhaka city, although the total number of canals in this city varies according to different government organisations. According to Dhaka District Administration (2016), the total number of canals in Dhaka city is 58. On the other hand, the number is 54, according to 2 city corporations in Dhaka (2022).
Cleaning the waste of Ramchandrapur can serve as an example to other canals in Dhaka city, conveying a message to continue such work in the rest of the canals. The densely populated Dhaka city may offer its residents a better life, which is a long cherished dream for people living there. Government initiatives, as well as public awareness through personal and community efforts, are essential to make this dream a reality.
Shah Rafayet Chowdhury is the Co-founder and President of Footsteps. He said, "Firstly, we doubted whether we would be successful in cleaning it up, as it was full of waste. However, when we began our work, we received very positive responses from all the project stakeholders. DNCC helped us a lot while implementing our project, especially their logistics support, which made our work smooth."
"We have a plan to monitor the canal so that the cleanliness remains in the future. As the sanitation system near the canal is extremely woeful, we will work with the related ministries of the government so that the residents of that area get a healthy, livable place. We may also engage ourselves to restore the water supply system along with other individuals so that the canals of Dhaka city can explore its missing heritage."
Canals are assets for any country that balance the water flow of the city. However, unawareness and an unethical mentality contribute to environmental disruption, leading to suffering in daily life.
Therefore, public and private initiatives, as well as awareness among the people, must be created to protect the canals, which will ultimately save the dwellers from destruction.
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