ZCZC
BSS-01
CITY-UPLIFT-WORKS (with picture)
RCC undertakes Tk 1800-cr uplift programmes
RAJSHAHI, Nov 10, 2018 (BSS)-Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) will
implement Taka 1,800 crore development programmes within next two years for
improving living and livelihood condition of the city dwellers.
The RCC intends to establish playground, ward councilor office, community
centre and children park in each of the 30 wards in the city.
Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton revealed this while inaugurating a Victory
Day Football Tournament on Mirjapur Shaymal playground in the city on Friday
afternoon as chief guest.
Chaired by BR Friends Club President Bakul Islam the ceremony was
addressed, among others, by local Awami League leaders Mustaque Ahmed, Md
Alauddin, Abdul Maleque and Faisal Ahmed.
Liton told the meeting that the corporation has taken an initiative of
conserving and renovating 22 natural ponds in the city aiming to retain its
surface water resources to protect environment from further degradation.
The corporation has already adopted a Tk 752-crore development project
titled ‘Natural Water Bodies Conservation and Development in Rajshahi City’
to protect the ponds.
Liton said 22 ponds will be conserved and necessary land will be acquired
for the purpose. “None would be allowed to fill in the ponds.”
Under the project, embankments of the ponds will be built with concrete
wall and ponds will be excavated. Concrete stair will be constructed in all
the developed ponds to make those attractive among city dwellers and
facilitate them to use those suitably.
There were 729 ponds and canals in the metropolis in 2002, but the number
declined to 393 now due to indiscriminate dumping of waste and unplanned
urbanisation.
Due to usual decline of surface water, he said, dependence on groundwater
has been increasing day by day for ensuring smooth water supply to the city
dwellers causing rapid decline of groundwater level in the last couple of
years.
The situation deteriorates during every dry season leaving most of the
hand-driven tubewell inoperative. “We’ve no alternative to conservation of
surface water resources to remain the groundwater table intact,” he said.
Once the project is implemented, the endangered fish species could be
protected from extinction apart from increasing fish production, he add.
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