EDITORIAL : THE DAILY STAR, BANGLADESH

            

 

JS body moves to save Dhaka

We want to see action

The recommendations made by the parliamentary standing committee on forests and environment regarding protecting the capital from further decline should make the powers that be sit up and take notice. That Dhaka has been in a state of gradual regression from an environmental point of view is a dark reality we have lately lived with. Now that the parliamentary committee has decided to act, follow-up action is called for. Basically, the recommendations centre on the need for improvements in the drainage system and a streamlining of road traffic. The imperative, as can be gauged from the concerns expressed by lawmakers, is for the city to have 40 per cent of its total 166 sq. km. area given over to a drainage catchment system.

That is important. But such moves can only be rendered meaningful if and when steps such as a clean water act are taken by the Jatiyo Sangsad. These moves ought to have come earlier when the first indications of the city’s drainage system disappearing through a filling in of wetlands and other water bodies in the interest of so-called urban development began to be noticed. By now, considerable damage has been done to the city’s environment. A brief spell of rain is enough to inundate major parts of Dhaka. It was not like this in the 1960s and 1970s, even up to the mid-1980s. And, on top of that, consider that other major predicament: as a lawmaker has pointed out, 85 per cent of roads in Dhaka will be impossible to negotiate by 2020. That is only too obvious, given the traffic related difficulties citizens go through currently.

Serious, well-formulated thoughts must now be given to a streamlining of plans to recover a nearly lost city. With too many organisations responsible for guaranteeing a smooth flow of services to citizens, gridlock has naturally been the consequence. Which is why policies should now be geared to an integration of services and their carrying out through a unified structure. Implementation of the JS body’s recommendations will depend on the kind of operational mechanism that is put in place.

Rehab Fair revelations

Unauthorised projects plentiful

It appears that we could never lift ourselves above controversies even on well-meaning occasions. One such event has been the mega fair organized by the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) that began on Thursday. On display were the profiles of 235 unauthorised projects.

The fair was inaugurated the very day the High Court directed REHAB not to allow companies, having unauthorized housing projects, to participate in its event. The fact that the fair was opened by the concerned state minister in presence of chairman of Rajdhani Unayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) makes it more perturbing.

The High Court passed an order on a writ petition filed by a number of environmental associations seeking a directive to the government to implement the court's ruling of June 8 that had declared 77 housing projects illegal in and around Dhaka. Interestingly, out of 263 housing projects taking part in the four-day fair only 28 has approval from Rajuk.

We need more housing for an increasing urban population in our big cities. Realtors are in operation to address the need. Over the last couple of decades real estate business has thrived. Because their business is property-centered this has led corrupt elements to creep into the trade.

Many real estate companies have been accused of resorting to illegal publicity and selling of lands without prior approval of the authorities concerned. Grabbing of khas lands and encroachments on private lands have been going on without let-up. Many projects do not abide by the building codes. Customers are made to suffer due to delay in handing over of flats or in many cases left deceived altogether.

The government has legislations and rules in place for the real estate industry to operate in a disciplined manner. We realise that many unauthorized projects owe their existence to the limited capacity and cumbersome procedure of the approving authorities.

This also breeds corruption. All in all, the fair has basically highlighted an overarching need to streamline the trade both at the institutional as well as business levels.