Prepare action plan to reclaim 50 canals by 7 months

The High Court on Monday directed the government to prepare an action plan by seven months to reclaim 50 canals in the capital by demarcating areas in line with the original flow.
The court ordered the authorities concerned to submit the action plan to it on July 1 next year which should also include a list of illegal encroachers as well as pollutants, and timeframe for proper maintenance of the canals.
It also ordered for submitting a report on the present status and positions of the 50 canals including Shegunbagicha canal, Katasur canal, Kallyanpur, Khilgaon canal, Diabari canal, Gulshan-Banani Canal, Mohakhali Canal, Kalshi Canal, Danmondi Canal, Paribagh canal, Gopibagh canal etc.
The High Court bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan issued the order in response to a writ plea lodged by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela).
The organisation filed the petition referring media reports that as of now 22 canals in the city became dead or water bodies sans existence while 21 canals are about to be dead. However, 26 canals of the city can still be reclaimed as per the reports.
Supreme Court lawyers Minhazul Huq Chowdhury and Syed Ahmed Kabir represented Bela while Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Sazu stood for the government.
The High Court also issued a rule seeking explanations from authorities concerned as to why why their failure to protect the canal from encroachment, obstruction and pollution should not be declared illegal.