Environmental activists and residents of Lalbagh’s Jagannath Saha Road and its adjoining areas demanded yesterday that authorities concerned take immediate steps to recover the 150-year old Pushpa Saha pond in Amligola from the clutches of land grabbers.
The demand was made at a rally, jointly organised by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, Pushpa Saha Pond Recovery Committee and Green Mind Society, by the banks of the pond.
They also urged the government to take immediate steps to recover the pond from land grabbers and stop the rampant waste dumping in the water body so that locals can use it.
The protesters also burnt effigies of grabbers during their demonstrations.
Addressing the rally, Pushpa Saha Pond Recovery Committee Coordinator M Saimul Islam said: “The residents of this area had been using the Pushpa Saha Pond for a long time. It is the only water body in the area.
Residents of Amligola, Shahidnagar, Chowdhury Bazar, Hrishipara, Buddhapara, Duri Angul, Nababganj and Balurghat used to bathe in the pond, use its water for household work and Hindus used the pond to immerse their idols.”
Adi Dhakabasi Forum Member Secretary Jabed Jahan blamed the government for not taking any effective steps to protect the water body from land grabbers.
Green Mind Society President Amir Hasan said the pond also served the community as a retention basin during the monsoon and as a source of water for any fire related incidents that occurred in the locality.
During a visit to the spot yesterday, this correspondent found that the pond had been completely filled with garbage and other waste. Several buildings have been built on the southern side and a few tin-shed houses occupy the western and the eastern sides of the pond.
Locals alleged that some influential quarters have been occupying the pond since 2005 by dumping garbage and waste. In 2010, the district administration conducted a drive to reclaim the pond.
They also noted that the pond is public property according to a government notification issued in April 2012 which announced that the pond belonged to the district administration.
This correspondent, however, found a signboard placed on the banks of the pond which read: “The owner of the pond is Hazi Mohammad Nazim Uddin. The High Court division of the Supreme Court has ordered that any person from the Dhaka District Administration Office cannot enter the pond area.”
The sign board also read that the HC order came via a writ petition filed by the pond’s owner.
Nazim Uddin was not present at his residence when this correspondent tried to interview him in this regard. Other members of residence also refused to disclose Nazim’s contact number.