Wastes like plastic-polyethylene have emerged as a serious threat to the global environment. The consumption of these substances at an alarming rate has become a cause of concern for everyone all over the world. Plastic-Polythene waste is also the main cause of waterlogging and monsoonal floods in Dhaka city. These wastes fall into drains and canals and obstruct the flow of water. Urban waterlogging and flooding cannot be controlled unless the use of plastic-polythene is controlled through strict enforcement of laws and positive change in the habits of city dwellers.
Speakers said these things at a function organized on the occasion of World Cleanliness Day. RedOrange Communications and Oceanbound organized a discussion event on Saturday (September 21) at the Kalyanpur Pump House premises in the city.
In this discussion, the administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Md. Mahmudul Hasan, NDC, Chief Guest; Chief Executive Officer Mir Khairul Alam and Delegate Representative of Netherlands Embassy Nielje Keilen spoke as special guests.
Alak Kumar Majumder, Director, RedOrange Communications presided over it. Ciprian Hendricks, Project Director of Dutch Water Consortium CDR and Managing Director of Oceanbound, presented the project introduction at the event. Hasan Ahmed, the representative of the United Nations Office for Project Affairs (UNOPS), DNCC Chief Engineer Brigadier Md. Moin Uddin, Chief Waste Officer Captain Fida Hasan, and Bangladesh Environment Movement (Bapa) General Secretary Alamgir Kabir, RedOrange Deputy Director Jannatul Munia and others. After a brief discussion, the guests officially inaugurated the Kalyanpur canal cleaning. On this occasion, a special type of floating net is installed in the canal to prevent plastic waste. It should be noted that 24 kg of plastic per person is used annually in Dhaka city.
The UNOPS representative said that if the depth of the problem cannot be understood, its solution is not possible. Captain Fida Hasan said, DNCC's demarcation work of 88 km long 29 canals will be completed by December this year, after which the initiative to clean them will gain momentum.
20 September 2024 was World Cleanliness Day. On December 8, 2023, the United Nations officially declared September 20 as World Cleanliness Day through resolution 78/122 at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly. This year's main slogan of the day is: Clean environment for life! The United Nations declares this day to encourage people in the collective struggle against waste and plastic pollution.
RedOrange Communications and Netherlands-based Oceanbound, with support from the World Bank and UNOPS, are implementing the “Please” project to make the Kalyanpur canal plastic-free. CDR International has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) for implementation of "Climate Resilient, Nature-Friendly, Clean Rain Water-Flow, Kalyanpur Canal Project, Dhaka". The Embassy of the Netherlands is providing financial support for the pre-feasibility study of the Kalyanpur Canal project.
The north-eastern region of DNCC, especially, Kalyanpur area is flood-prone due to rainfall every year. As a result, the lives and livelihood of the city dwellers are suffering and threatened. Around 15 lakh people live in the surrounding areas of Kalyanpur canal of the city.
U
.png "Halim-&-Firni")
