Businesses should not be allowed to occupy sidewalks: CCC Mayor

Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain has warned that businesses should not be allowed to occupy the city's roads and sidewalks.

He observed that these businesses spoil the beauty of the city and creates problems for citizens' movement.

He said this while inaugurating the 'Flower Tub Installation and Beautification Program' to prevent road encroachment next to the hotel beach adjacent to the city's old railway station on Tuesday (August 19).

Dr. Shahadat Hossain said that shopkeepers can keep their goods inside the shops. But they are occupying the sidewalks and roads. "I have been keeping an eye on the issue for a few days. I had been here before and saw that jackfruit, mango, and palm were occupying half of the road. As a result, traffic jams are created and pedestrian movement is disrupted. Domestic and foreign guests enter the city through Station Road. This may tarnish the image of the port city. Therefore, it is important to keep this place beautiful and orderly."

Addressing the shopkeepers, the mayor said that no shopkeeper will be able to display fruits or products on the sidewalk. All products must be kept inside the shop. Loading and unloading work must be completed between 11 pm and 9 am. During this time, the shopkeepers should keep the plant tubs aside and after the work is done, he instructed them to put them back properly.

He said: "We will gradually identify each spot and free the sidewalks and roads from encroachment. In the meantime, planting trees has started in the evicted places. The entire city will be gradually brought under greening. We have also achieved 50-60 percent progress in eliminating waterlogging. Next year, citizens will get better results from this.

He also said that secondary transfer stations (STS) will be set up at 12 places where garbage is lying openly, including the places behind Katalganj and Biplob Udyan in the city. The city will be kept clean and attractive through the covered STS and activities are progressing rapidly with Japanese and Korean companies to set up a waste-to-energy plant. If this is implemented, there will be a revolutionary change in waste management.

In response to journalists' questions regarding the mosquito control programme, the mayor said that chemical spraying is being done every day through fogger machines. However, if the same medicine is used for a long time, mosquitoes develop resistance. "For this reason, we are changing the medicine regularly. Recently, a new medicine developed by a research center in Chicago has been brought in. In the meantime, it has been experimentally applied in some areas including Kotwali, Halishahar and Bayezid and good results have been obtained. It will be implemented in all parts of the city soon."