A government project has been undertaken to supply pure water through preserving rainwater after recovering 2,300 ponds from illegal occupants of the country's 61 district councils.
Local Government Division Secretary Abdul Malek said this on Sunday while inaugurating the day-long Bijoy Mela at LGED headquarters in Dhaka.
The Local Government Division organised the event marking the great Victory Day.
Work is in progress, he said, to re-excavate the illegally occupied derelict ponds for preserving and purifying rainwater.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has approved the project and sanctioned money for its implementation, he added.
BSS quoting the secretary said only rainwater would be preserved in these re-excavated ponds as fishes would not be cultivated there.
He said 'ponds and filter' would be set up on the banks of the ponds to help people use pure water.
Malek said different projects worth Taka 370 billion were being implemented through Dhaka WASA to ensure supply of pure water in the capital city.
Director General of the Local Government Division Additional Secretary ASM Mahbubul Alam, Chief Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) M Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Engineer of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) Md. Rashidul Haque and senior officials of the ministry and concerned departments were present.
LGED, DPHE, Dhaka WASA and Dhaka South City Corporation, different departments and organisations took part in the fair.
A total of 19 stalls were set up in the fair.
