Box culverts that drain rain and sewer waters in many parts of the city remain in clogged conditions from all kinds of waste matters and rubbish which get dumped in them. The entire lengths of the surface drains and storm sewers should be immediately flushed clean

Warding off worse water logging, city flood

The showers at intervals experienced in Dhaka city in the last several days, left enough indications to worry seriously about conditions in the city during the remaining part of the monsoon period. There would be no need to feel safe that the monsoon period is over till at least September. If  even relatively milder showers can create such waterlogged or nearly flooded conditions in so many parts of the city as have been happening and receiving wide media focus, then the concern cannot help but cross citizens’ minds about how their mobility would be affected in what could be worse conditions in the rest of the monsoon season.
Heavy rains are not projected in the current monsoon period for South Asia and so far raining has not been extraordinarily heavy in this country. But this situation can change any time with the projections proving to be not true. Thus, people in Dhaka city have reasons to be very worried about their daily transportation related ordeals.
The city’s drainage conditions as these exist, seem hardly able to cope with the need to discharge accumulated rain waters. The waters are draining off now, albeit slowly. But such draining away of the rain waters may come to a stop if rainfall is experienced to be intermittent but heavy for some days at a stretch. Already, flood like appearances are noted in some low lying parts of the city from such precarious drainage conditions.
The water logging problem in the city is a chronic one and it was sought to be taken care of by various man made drainage projects under different governments. But the projects were carried out on a piecemeal basis that did not cover many affected areas. Besides, the projects were also not found to be completed up to satisfaction. As it is, the waters in the rivers in and around Dhaka are still at a safe level which is helping the draining away of rain waters although this is taking a longer time. But the water levels in the rivers are likely to rise if heavy rains fall either on the city or in the country in line with the weather forecasts. In that case without an efficient and workable drainage system in place ,  a worst city flood is portended this year.
Therefore, the authorities need to take timely actions to spare the city’s residents from the great distresses of worse waterlogging or city floods surpassing the ones that gripped the city in 2004 in the wake of heavy monsoon rains. Box culverts that drain rain and sewer waters in many parts of the city remain in clogged conditions from all kinds of waste matters and rubbish which get dumped in them. Manhole covers are found missing in many areas that similarly facilitate solid wastes to get inside the sewer lines to create blocking effects. The manhole covers need to be replaced immediately and the maintenance of manholes should be ensured along with the thorough cleaning of them. The entire lengths of the surface drains and storm sewers should be immediately flushed clean. Sufficient number of pumps should be installed in different parts of the city for the pumping out of rain and flood waters. These preparations need to be taken on highest priority basis. The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and Water and Sewerage Authorioty (WASA) seem to be slow in their activities this year to ensure a reasonably operating draining system although the monsoon period is quite advanced.
However, for a long lasting solution of water logging, the natural drainage conditions of the city must be fully restored. There existed some 26 canals and hundreds of large and small ponds and marshlands or wetlands in and around Dhaka even in the early seventies. But the canals were encroached upon and filled up. Steps are needed to be taken very urgently to preserve and improve the remaining natural drainage channels and recover the encroached ones.

 

Box culverts that drain rain and sewer waters in many parts of the city remain in clogged conditions from all kinds of waste matters and rubbish which get dumped in them. The entire lengths of the surface drains and storm sewers should be immediately flushed clean

Warding off worse water logging, city flood

The showers at intervals experienced in Dhaka city in the last several days, left enough indications to worry seriously about conditions in the city during the remaining part of the monsoon period. There would be no need to feel safe that the monsoon period is over till at least September. If even relatively milder showers can create such waterlogged or nearly flooded conditions in so many parts of the city as have been happening and receiving wide media focus, then the concern cannot help but cross citizens minds about how their mobility would be affected in what could be worse conditions in the rest of the monsoon season. Heavy rains are not projected in the current monsoon period for South Asia and so far raining has not been extraordinarily heavy in this country. But this situation can change any time with the projections proving to be not true. Thus, people in Dhaka city have reasons to be very worried about their daily transportation related ordeals. The citys drainage conditions as these exist, seem hardly able to cope with the need to discharge accumulated rain waters. The waters are draining off now, albeit slowly. But such draining away of the rain waters may come to a stop if rainfall is experienced to be intermittent but heavy for some days at a stretch. Already, flood like appearances are noted in some low lying parts of the city from such precarious drainage conditions. The water logging problem in the city is a chronic one and it was sought to be taken care of by various man made drainage projects under different governments. But the projects were carried out on a piecemeal basis that did not cover many affected areas. Besides, the projects were also not found to be completed up to satisfaction. As it is, the waters in the rivers in and around Dhaka are still at a safe level which is helping the draining away of rain waters although this is taking a longer time. But the water levels in the rivers are likely to rise if heavy rains fall either on the city or in the country in line with the weather forecasts. In that case without an efficient and workable drainage system in place , a worst city flood is portended this year. Therefore, the authorities need to take timely actions to spare the citys residents from the great distresses of worse waterlogging or city floods surpassing the ones that gripped the city in 2004 in the wake of heavy monsoon rains. Box culverts that drain rain and sewer waters in many parts of the city remain in clogged conditions from all kinds of waste matters and rubbish which get dumped in them. Manhole covers are found missing in many areas that similarly facilitate solid wastes to get inside the sewer lines to create blocking effects. The manhole covers need to be replaced immediately and the maintenance of manholes should be ensured along with the thorough cleaning of them. The entire lengths of the surface drains and storm sewers should be immediately flushed clean. Sufficient number of pumps should be installed in different parts of the city for the pumping out of rain and flood waters. These preparations need to be taken on highest priority basis. The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and Water and Sewerage Authorioty (WASA) seem to be slow in their activities this year to ensure a reasonably operating draining system although the monsoon period is quite advanced. However, for a long lasting solution of water logging, the natural drainage conditions of the city must be fully restored. There existed some 26 canals and hundreds of large and small ponds and marshlands or wetlands in and around Dhaka even in the early seventies. But the canals were encroached upon and filled up. Steps are needed to be taken very urgently to preserve and improve the remaining natural drainage channels and recover the encroached ones.