The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

Engineers, city planners and eminent citizens in a colloquium on Tuesday observed that unplanned urbanization, poor drainage system, indiscriminate dumping of wastages and no step for dredging the river Karnaphuli over the last few years are the main causes of severe water-lodging in the city.

They laid special emphasis on coordinated endeavors of all utility service agencies particularly Chittagong City Corporation and Chittagong Development Authority to free the city people from the curse of the water-logging permanently.

They urged the government to dredge river Karnaphuli immediately for saving Chittagong from water-lodging.

Forum for Planned Chittagong organized the colloquium "Water logging in Chittagong" was held at Engineers Institution's conference room to hammer out the ways and means for overcoming the long-standing problems.

President of the organization and eminent scientist Professor Jamal Nazrul Islam presided over the colloquium while Dr. Shahidul Islam gave outline before kicking off the discussion.

Women leader Jesmin Sultana Paru, CCC ward commissioner advocate Rehana Kabir Ranu, Dr. MA Mannan, Engineer Mohammad Sekandar, Alhajj Alim Uddin and Momtazul Haque Tuku among others addressed it.

Representatives from Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) and different wards under CCC expressed their observations on the issue.

Professor Jamal Nazrul Islam while winding up the discussion said sincere cooperation is needed to overcome the problem. He urged all to come forward so that city dwellers do not see the repetition of June 11.

Dr. Shahidul Islam in his speech said that water-logging was limited in some places in city but in recent days it engulfed the whole city apart from its surrounding areas mounting the miseries of city dwellers.

He mentioned that even after a 30 millimeters rainfall creates water-logging in Chittagong. Remembering the biggest flooding in Chittagong over the last decades that took place on June 11 and claimed 132 lives, he said that people became worried in recent days when they experience light to moderate rainfall.

He divided the water-logging into three sections - Surface Level, Middle level and lower level. Unplanned leveling of hills causes surface level water-logging while poor drainage network, unplanned garbage dumping, unplanned urbanization and illegal establishments by the occupants mainly grabbing canals and drains cause middle and lower level water-logging.

Some of the speakers held CCC and CDA responsible for non-implementation of different projects for water-logging in the city.

They observed that Chaktai canal is not lonely responsible for water-logging rather less ability to absorb rainwater by the river Karnaphuli has been playing key role in keeping city's most of the areas under chest-deep water during heavy shower.

Speakers said that they had long been staying in Chittagong but they never witnessed huge rush of water before June 11 and October 16 last.

Organizers noted-down the suggestions came from the discussion and a integrated proposal will soon be made and sent to the government for addressing the pressing issue of Chittagong.