Khulna residents are extremely disappointed seeing the end result of the Tk5 crore re-excavation of Mayur river. The river is still filled with water hyacinths and layers of silt deposits in the river have not been removed.
Near the Boira Swashan ghat (crematory) bridge on the river, the picture was not pretty. The water was unclean and black with garbage and other wastes floating like chars (river island) at the mouths of the canals connected to the river.
Greater Khulna Unnayan Sangram coordination committee President Sheikh Ashraf uz Zaman said: “The ecavation work was hopeless. We expected that the Mayur river would be turned into source of fresh water. Boats would be running up and down the river and there would be no more water logging in Khulna. Instead the excavation turned out to be a ruse for a massive rip-off.”
Following the long-time demand of local people, Khulna City Corporation (KCC) had taken up a project to dredge the Mayur and Hatiya rivers including 22 canals, to resolve water-logging problem in the city.
Financed by Asian Development Bank, the Nagar Anchal Unnayan (City Area Development) project was implemented by Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) through contractor firm Jamil Iqbal JV.
The dredging of Mayur river began on February 3, 2014; about 5,900 kilometre area of the river was dredged up at a cost of Tk 5.78 crore.
The work ended on November 10, 2014.
Last March, the progress report of the project stated 100% completion. Of the bill, Tk4.62 crore was paid with the remaining amount to be paid after final survey of the river, stated the report.
Amzad Hossain of Gollamari area said: “80% of the Mayur river is still covered in hyacinths. The water is still as polluted as before. The encroached areas of the river have not been excavated.”
Executive Engineer of the project Md Saifuddin said: “Without taking measurements it cannot be said if the river was excavated or not. A post work survey will be done and that will tell us what is the situation. We have issued a letter to Dhaka and soon a team of experts will carry out the survey.”
KCC Mayor Md Moniruzzaman Moni said only the expert team’s survey can give us the real picture of the excavation progress.