No power to bring desired changes, bemoan mayors

Though they claim that they have achieved some sort of success in their drive to improve the situation in the messy capital, its two mayors think lack of coordination among various service-providing agencies and political clout have made their job harder, reports UNB.

 

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Annisul Huq and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon also said the elected mayors must have the authority to get their job done by different government agencies to provide desired civic services to the city dwellers.

 

They said they have been making frantic efforts to check littering and free footpaths from illegal occupation to keep their election promise of presenting a ‘clean and beautiful Dhaka’, but people’s awareness and cooperation are crucial to have a marked success in this regard.

 

On November 29, 2011, the government formed two city corporations-- DNCC and DSCC-- in the capital splitting the integrated Dhaka City Corporation (DCC).

 

The elections to the DSCC and the DNCC along with Chittagong City Corporation were held on April 28 last year and the elected mayors and councilors took oath on May 6.

 

“If any one asks me do I want a city government?  I’ll reply no, but I need some authority. A mayor needs some power to coordinate with the service-providing agencies for ensuring better services for the city dwellers,” said DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq.

 

He said the lack of coordination among the different service-providing government agencies is the biggest challenge in providing quality civic services which is badly affecting their activities.

 

“If the government provides DNCC with at least one hundred police, its current chaotic scenario will be changed shortly. The scenario of occupied city areas will change and the situation of waste management will also improve as the police will work for DNCC as per its requirement,” he said.

 

Talking to UNB at his Banani residence, Annisul said the first challenge he faced as a mayor to free the mayor’s office from the control of hoodlums, mainly labor leaders.

 

Another challenge was to maintain the quality of development works as the image of engineers were not good, Annisul said adding, “I gave them a message there’ll be no compromise with quality...and it worked well.”

 

About his electoral pledge to make the city a green one, the mayor said they have taken a plan to plant five lakh trees in three years which will change the greenery and environment of the city.

 

About the rehabilitation of hawkers, Annisul said there will be holiday markets at each ward by three months and the first one will be there in Mirpur.

 

He said they have also taken various steps, including holding meetings with city dwellers, alongside carrying out campaigns to create public awareness to make the city clean.

 

“People have voted us to serve them. We’re working sincerely and so are doing the councilors to bring about quality changes in our services,” the DNCC mayor said.

 

Sayeed Khokon said though he has been able to bring a good change in the services of the DSCC by implementing some small plans and projects over the last one year, it will take further time to make the development of the city visible.

 

“One year is not enough for bringing an adequate change and ensuring major development in a city like Dhaka hit by numerous problems. “We’ve identified problems and taken sustainable and well-thought-out plans to resolve those gradually,” he said.

 

Talking at his Nagar Bhaban office, he also promised to present people a clean, beautiful and liveable city by the year-end.

 

Asked what major challenges and problems he faced in the first year of his tenure, Khokon, also the son of first elected mayor DCC Mohammad Hanif, said the lack of coordination among 56 different service-providing agencies is a major obstacle towards ensuring quality civic services for the city dwellers.

 

Khokon said he along with the DNCC mayor requested the Prime Minister to form a coordination committee under her leadership to overcome the problems. “She’s assured us of taking a step in this regard very soon.”

 

He blamed some politicians and police for his failure to free footpaths in some areas of the city from illegal occupiers, despite several drive to that.

 

About the public awareness, especially to make the city a clean one, Khokon said they have launched ‘Clean Dhaka 2016’ campaign and undertaken various programs in this regard. “There are two aspects of the programs-- firstly, to create public awareness and secondly to overcome institutional weakness.”