Low-lying areas flood even in a little rain

Chittagong city

With advent of rainy season, water stagnation in Chittagong city takes a severe shape in every year. Even a little rainfall inundate the low lying areas of the city. Incessant downpour for the past couple of days submerged the low-lying areas of the commercial capital. The Chittagong Patenga Met Office recorded 463 mm rainfall on Friday and on Saturday.   The successive mayors of the premier port city pledged to rid the city residents of the perennial water-logging problem. However, the problem remained elusive as ever.  
It may be mentioned that Nasir in his electoral manifesto placed the issue of turning Chittagong into a green megacity as the first top priority. Nasir in his manifesto put the issue of addressing water-congestion as the second top priority. Moreover, the issue of cleanliness occupied 12th position in his manifesto titled “Wishing to build megacity, water logging free pro-people Chittagong”.  
While speaking at the manifesto unveiling ceremony at the Institute of Engineers, Chittagong on April 22, Nasir said, “Manjur came to the mayor’s office promising to rid city residents of the persistent water logging problem. However, he failed. During his five-year tenure as mayor, the standard of civic amenities went down.”
Responding to a question, Nasir said he would adopt short, medium and long term plans to address the perennial problem of water logging.
“Willingness and pragmatic plans are necessary for addressing the problem. The canals should be reclaimed and excavated; the Karnaphuli River should be dredged. No encroacher will be spared.  I think I will be able to address the problem as I am the ruling-party backed mayoral aspirant,” said Nasir.
The city planners attribute the water-logging to inflow of muddy waters from hills, tidal water, illegal occupation of water bodies, filling up of drains, non-implementation of drainage master plan-1995 and gradual disappearance of water bodies due to rapid industrialisation and building construction in recent years. The city planners and engineers came up with some specific recommendations for addressing the persistent problem.
The illegal structures built along the canals and drains should be evicted, the utility service connections which were erected across the canals should be removed, raising awareness among the city dwellers about dumping solid household waste into the canals.      
According to Chittagong City Corporation, there are now 34 canals having a total length of 48 km and the length of the city’s drains stand at 144km.
While talking to The Independent, the immediate past city mayor Manjur Alam said that the drainage master plan which was formulated in 1995 needed to be revised and updated.
“Besides, newer canals and drains have to be dug up. The existing canals and drains should be freed from the clutches of grabbers,” added Manjur.
“As part of addressing the water congestion, the Chittagong City Corporation in 2011 took up a new canal digging project from Bahaddarhat Baroipara to Karnaphuli River near Bolirhat at an estimated cost of Tk 2.97 billion (Tk 297 crore). We are going to get the Government Order (GO) very shortly and then we could float tender for excavating the new canal,” said Sudip Bashak, Assistant Engineer, CCC.     
‘Chittagong city can boast of wonderful natural drainage system. It is the only city where there are hill, forest and sea. But is a matter of great regret that the city is fast losing its natural drainage system. Lack of adequate maintenance regarding canals and drains were responsible for water logging in the city. The concerned authorities should take precautionary measures before the advent of rainy season. Besides, the city dwellers should not throw their household waste into the drains’, said Rashidul Hasan, assistant professor, department of Urban and Regional Planning, CUET.
“Most of the canals of the city have been grabbed and they should be freed without delay. The number of drains is not sufficient. In compliance of the Master Plan, tidal regulators, flood control water retention ponds, silt traps, high lift pumps should be implemented,” said Engr Delwar Hussain Majumder, former chairman of Institution of Engineers, Chittagong.
“The free flow of water through the canals and the drains is heavily obstructed as 65 per cent of natural canals in the city have been grabbed and illegal structures have been built on them. The average width of the canals has shrunk to 50 per cent,” said Shahinul Islam Khan, Chief Town Planner of Chittagong Development Authority.
“There is no alternative to freeing the canals from the grabbers in order to have a durable solution to water congestion problem in the city,” added the town planner. Syed Sagir Ahmed, general secretary, Khatunganj Trade and Industries Association said that the business in Khatunganj area has become plummeted due to the recent downpour triggered water stagnation.
‘Every year we have to incur a huge loss worth about Tk 150 crore due to water logging. Chaktai Canal has now become the sorrow of Chittagong. During water congestion, the businessmen of Chaktai-Khatunganj area remain busy taking care of their goods instead of selling and buying.

Low-lying areas flood even in a little rain

Chittagong city

With advent of rainy season, water stagnation in Chittagong city takes a severe shape in every year. Even a little rainfall inundate the low lying areas of the city. Incessant downpour for the past couple of days submerged the low-lying areas of the commercial capital. The Chittagong Patenga Met Office recorded 463 mm rainfall on Friday and on Saturday. The successive mayors of the premier port city pledged to rid the city residents of the perennial water-logging problem. However, the problem remained elusive as ever. It may be mentioned that Nasir in his electoral manifesto placed the issue of turning Chittagong into a green megacity as the first top priority. Nasir in his manifesto put the issue of addressing water-congestion as the second top priority. Moreover, the issue of cleanliness occupied 12th position in his manifesto titled Wishing to build megacity, water logging free pro-people Chittagong. While speaking at the manifesto unveiling ceremony at the Institute of Engineers, Chittagong on April 22, Nasir said, Manjur came to the mayors office promising to rid city residents of the persistent water logging problem. However, he failed. During his five-year tenure as mayor, the standard of civic amenities went down. Responding to a question, Nasir said he would adopt short, medium and long term plans to address the perennial problem of water logging. Willingness and pragmatic plans are necessary for addressing the problem. The canals should be reclaimed and excavated; the Karnaphuli River should be dredged. No encroacher will be spared. I think I will be able to address the problem as I am the ruling-party backed mayoral aspirant, said Nasir. The city planners attribute the water-logging to inflow of muddy waters from hills, tidal water, illegal occupation of water bodies, filling up of drains, non-implementation of drainage master plan-1995 and gradual disappearance of water bodies due to rapid industrialisation and building construction in recent years. The city planners and engineers came up with some specific recommendations for addressing the persistent problem. The illegal structures built along the canals and drains should be evicted, the utility service connections which were erected across the canals should be removed, raising awareness among the city dwellers about dumping solid household waste into the canals. According to Chittagong City Corporation, there are now 34 canals having a total length of 48 km and the length of the citys drains stand at 144km. While talking to The Independent, the immediate past city mayor Manjur Alam said that the drainage master plan which was formulated in 1995 needed to be revised and updated. Besides, newer canals and drains have to be dug up. The existing canals and drains should be freed from the clutches of grabbers, added Manjur. As part of addressing the water congestion, the Chittagong City Corporation in 2011 took up a new canal digging project from Bahaddarhat Baroipara to Karnaphuli River near Bolirhat at an estimated cost of Tk 2.97 billion (Tk 297 crore). We are going to get the Government Order (GO) very shortly and then we could float tender for excavating the new canal, said Sudip Bashak, Assistant Engineer, CCC. Chittagong city can boast of wonderful natural drainage system. It is the only city where there are hill, forest and sea. But is a matter of great regret that the city is fast losing its natural drainage system. Lack of adequate maintenance regarding canals and drains were responsible for water logging in the city. The concerned authorities should take precautionary measures before the advent of rainy season. Besides, the city dwellers should not throw their household waste into the drains, said Rashidul Hasan, assistant professor, department of Urban and Regional Planning, CUET. Most of the canals of the city have been grabbed and they should be freed without delay. The number of drains is not sufficient. In compliance of the Master Plan, tidal regulators, flood control water retention ponds, silt traps, high lift pumps should be implemented, said Engr Delwar Hussain Majumder, former chairman of Institution of Engineers, Chittagong. The free flow of water through the canals and the drains is heavily obstructed as 65 per cent of natural canals in the city have been grabbed and illegal structures have been built on them. The average width of the canals has shrunk to 50 per cent, said Shahinul Islam Khan, Chief Town Planner of Chittagong Development Authority. There is no alternative to freeing the canals from the grabbers in order to have a durable solution to water congestion problem in the city, added the town planner. Syed Sagir Ahmed, general secretary, Khatunganj Trade and Industries Association said that the business in Khatunganj area has become plummeted due to the recent downpour triggered water stagnation. Every year we have to incur a huge loss worth about Tk 150 crore due to water logging. Chaktai Canal has now become the sorrow of Chittagong. During water congestion, the businessmen of Chaktai-Khatunganj area remain busy taking care of their goods instead of selling and buying.