United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Abdus Salam on Monday pledged to turn the areas under the city corporation into greener spaces to restore environmental balance and make Dhaka more liveable. He said tree plantation programmes will be conducted every day in different parts of the city to reduce air pollution and help restore the natural environment. The DSCC administrator made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a programme marking tree plantation and distribution of fruit-bearing, timber and medicinal saplings among students and guardians at Motijheel Government Boys' High School in the morning. The DSCC organised the programme in collaboration with Environment Development Organisation-Bangladesh as part of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's priority initiatives for environmental conservation and combating climate change. “Dhaka city no longer has the greenery it once had. Today, Dhaka ranks among the cities with the highest levels of air pollution in the world, which is not desirable for any of us. If we fail to maintain a clean and healthy environment, various diseases will emerge. There is no alternative to planting more trees to protect nature and reduce carbon dioxide emissions,” Salam, also a former student of Motijheel Government Boys' High School, said. Recalling his childhood memories, he said, “When I studied at this school, I saw beautiful gardens all around, but they are no longer there. Just as the Sundarbans protects Bangladesh as a natural shield during storms and cyclones, trees also keep us alive by providing oxygen.” Urging students to take an active role in protecting the environment, the DSCC administrator said, “The future leadership of the country will emerge from among you. You must prepare yourselves accordingly. I urge every student to plant at least one tree at home, on the rooftop or in a tub.” Dhaka-7 MP Hamidur Rahman Hamid and acting headteacher of Motijheel Government Boys' High School Tahmina Yasmin attended the programme as special guests with Prof Syeda Fatema Salam, president of Environment Development Organisation-Bangladesh, in the chair. At the end of the programme, the guests planted saplings on the school premises and distributed saplings of different species among students and guardians.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Abdus Salam on Tuesday said that the effectiveness of mosquito control chemicals—liquid malathion and temephos—has been found fully satisfactory in tests conducted by the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and the Department of Agricultural Extension. He made the remarks while inaugurating a special training programme for mosquito supervisors and field workers at Nagar Bhaban auditorium, aimed at strengthening mosquito control activities and ensuring the proper application of insecticides at the field level. DSCC ramps up drives for clean, climate-resilient city: Administrator  “To ensure city residents benefit from the effectiveness of these chemicals, it is essential to guarantee their proper application in the field. This training has been organised for that purpose,” he said. Abdus Salam added that the city corporation is giving top priority to controlling Aedes mosquitoes.“We must use the knowledge gained from this training with responsibility and commitment so that we can achieve success in mosquito control through collective efforts,” he said. According to DSCC, routine mosquito control activities are carried out daily with larviciding conducted from 9:00am to 1:00pm and adulticiding from 4:00pm until sunset. Special emphasis is also being placed on coordinated operations in identified hotspot areas. The training sessions are being conducted by DSCC’s Chief Health Officer, Deputy Chief Health Officer, assistant health officers from different regions, and representatives of the Directorate General of Health Services. The programme also focuses on raising public awareness and ensuring the personal safety of mosquito control workers. A total of 1,050 mosquito supervisors and workers from 10 DSCC regions are participating in the training which will be conducted in five batches. The sessions include practical components on mosquito life cycles, species identification, prevention of mosquito-borne diseases, safe and effective use of insecticides, and operation of modern equipment. Among others, DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md Zahirul Islam and Secretary Mohammad Nasim Ahmed were present at the event.