Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Annisul Huq on Monday said his associates have already started motivating people to keep the city clean.
“It’s not an easy job to make people habituated with cleanliness. DNCC employees have already started motivating people. We need more time to turn Dhaka into a green city,” he reiterated.
Annisul came up with the remarks at a programme organized by Sabuj Dhaka in association with DNCC, Department of Agriculture Extension, and Universal Medical College in the city.
Universal Medical College and Hospital Chairman Preeti Chakraborti and Adviser of Sabuj Dhaka presided over the programme.
The DNCC boss also noted that children under five years are the worst victim of extreme air pollution in Dhaka city.
Referring to the air pollution of the city, he said, “air pollution gradually will damage the lungs of the children. People will realize the worst impact after 25 years from now.”
Bangladesh has been ranked fourth among 91 countries with worst urban air quality in the latest air pollution monitoring report, Ambient Air Pollution (AAP) database, of World Health Organisation (WHO). Moreover, three Bangladeshi cities have also been put among the top 25 cities with poorest air.
The 2014 version of AAP database consists mainly of urban air quality data of 1600 cities from 91 countries. Realizing this situation, DNCC with the leadership of Bishwa Sahitya Kendra Chairman Abdullah Abu Sayeed also launched a campaign for making Dhaka City Green.
Annisul also said at present about 31, 885 trees have been planted in Uttara area and DNCC will complete survey work in the area of Mahakhali, Banani and Gulshan next year.
He also said that about 20,000 billboards, 90 per cent wastes, illegal structures have already been removed from the city under this supervision.
Sharing his experience during throwing out the land encroachers especially from Gulshan, Banani area, the Mayor also said the illegal land occupiers were very influential and even they dared to chase the member of law enforcement agencies.
Agriculturist Tariq Hassan, also chairman of Agriculture Foundation, said, “tree plantation in the city is not enough. Nurturing trees like- giving sufficient water and fertilizers- is also very important.”
Agriculturist Bashir Ahmed, business director of ACI fertilizer, said tree plantation should be increased in the urban area, as the temperature is increasing in the sphere.
