Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced a 12-point plan in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) to transform the capital city Dhaka into a clean and green city.
"Various measures are being taken through Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporations under the Local Government Division to build Dhaka as a clean and green city," he said.
The Leader of the House said this while replying to a starred question from treasury bench lawmaker from Cumilla-9 constituency Md Abul Kalam in the House this morning with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, in the chair.
As part of the plans, the PM said, weekly public awareness programmes are being conducted to increase awareness and citizen engagement, alongside intensified special cleanliness and mosquito control drives.
The Prime Minister said to modernizing secondary transfer stations (waste disposal sites), waste management is being carried out in an environmentally friendly manner involving landscaping, greening, and awareness graffiti works.
Dhaka South City Corporation has taken a plan with investment from a Korea-based private company to convert all waste into zero waste by transforming the Matuail landfill into an integrated circular economy-based waste management and energy production center, he added.
Tarique Rahman said tree plantation programmes have been undertaken in road medians, traffic islands, and open spaces in the city corporation areas.
Urban afforestation (Miyawaki forest) is being implemented in various areas under Dhaka North City Corporation, covering open medians zero soil with greenery, he added.
A target has been set to plant 5 lakh trees in Dhaka North City Corporation areas over the next five years, the Prime Minister said, adding, trees will also be planted in vacant spaces under the metro rail line from Mirpur-12 to Mirpur DOHS and beneath the elevated expressway from Abdullahpur to Farmgate.
Besides, he said the Department of Environment (DoE) has prioritized controlling pollution in Dhaka to achieve a clean and green city.
To control air pollution, the DoE and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) are jointly taking an initiative to introduce modern bus services and launch 250 electric buses, the premier added.
Noting that with World Bank support, major pollution sources in Dhaka have been identified, he said mobile courts are being regularly conducted against vehicles emitting black smoke, construction activities, and building materials causing air pollution.
Tarique Rahman said steps have been taken to shut down illegal polluting brick kilns around Dhaka to prevent air pollution in the city.
Regular mobile courts and enforcement activities are being conducted to this end, he said.
Savar upazila has been declared a degraded airshed to reduce pollution, and activities such as brick kilns and open waste burning have been banned in this area aimed at reducing air pollution in the capital, he said.
To prevent water pollution in rivers, canals, and water bodies around Dhaka, effluent treatment plants (ETPs) have been made mandatory for industries, the Prime Minister said, adding, so far, ETPs have been installed in 248 institutions. Cameras were installed for real-time monitoring treatment of liquid wastes in the ETPs.
Sources and types of pollution in Buriganga, Shitalakkhya, Balu and Turag rivers as well as 19 major canals in Dhaka have been identified by the DoE, he said.
With the aim of covering Dhaka city with greenery, reducing environmental pollution and enhancing the beauty of the city, the Forest Department has jointly implemented tree plantation and zero soil programmes on road medians, U-loops, pond areas and canal banks by signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Dhaka North and South City Corporations, Water Development Board and Bangladesh Roads and Highways Department, the premier added.
Under this programme, 41,565 saplings of various species of fruit, forest, medicinal and ornamental trees have been planted, he said.
To reduce pollution in Dhaka city, the soil has been covered with various species of vines, shrubs and grasses, Tarique Rahman said, adding, as part of the 25 crore tree plantation programme in the next 5 years, initiatives are being taken to plant trees in vacant areas.
The Prime Minister expressed hope that it will be possible to build Dhaka as a clean and green city gradually through these combined initiatives.
END/BSS/ASA
