Staff Reporter:
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 yesterday while replying to a starred question from treasury bench law-maker from Cumilla-9 constituency Md Abul Kalam in the House 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 man-agement 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 econo-my-based waste management and energy production center, he added.
Tarique Rahman said tree plantation programs 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 Farm-gate.
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 tak-ing 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 activi-ties, 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.
