Waterlogging defies planners' remedies

On the evening the cyclonic storm 'Sitrang' struck the coastal areas of the country, heavy rainfall in Dhaka city also caused extensive water-logging. Due to unfavourable weather conditions, people's movement was sparse and the number of motor vehicles was also very few. Nevertheless, those who had to go outside or return from workplaces at night faced further difficulties due to downpour accompanied with gusty winds and water logged roads and streets. In some streets and lower areas, people suffered even more as the rain water submerged the ground floors of many residential buildings and houses. Though the water receded within a few hours in many areas, some pockets were inundated for a day or two after the rain had stopped.

All these exposed the failure of the authorities to address the prolonged water-logging problem in Dhaka. Over the years, the situation has intensified thanks to the inaction of the relevant authorities --- two city corporations and Dhaka Water Supply And Sewerage Authority (WASA). Instead of addressing the problem in a coordinated and planned manner, Dhaka WASA and city corporations rely on ad-hoc measures. The irresponsible behaviour of many Dhaka residents has only complicated the problem.

Inadequate drainage is a significant reason for water logging, especially in the monsoon. Indiscriminate dumping and disposal of various wastes narrowed and blocked the utility entry/exit points and drains. Uncontrolled plastic-polythene garbage is a serious problem. Hardly anyone cares about the disposal of plastic bags. Roadside shops and street vendors simply throw rejected plastic materials on roads instead of putting in dedicated bins. Cleaners of city corporations also do not remove waste properly in many areas. Thus the waste materials are finally dumped into manholes and drains.

Failure to recover canals and natural water bodies from the grabbers has worsened things. These canals were the primary channels to carry rainwater into rivers while water bodies used to helping recede excessive waters rapidly. The city corporations have taken several moves to demolish the illegal structures to recover water bodies. However, the outcome is disappointing as politically powerful groups create barriers to recovery steps. Moreover, unplanned and unauthorised filling of low land and water bodies for construction of infrastructure also goes unchecked.

All these have already restricted the normal flow of water, so even a short spell of rain creates water-logging in many areas. Thus, the reasons for water-logging are well known. Unfortunately, the right steps and actions are missing.

Why focus on Dhaka city only? Just look at the nearby towns like Narayanganj. Water-logging is a growing problem there, also. The heavy rainfall due to Sitrang inundated a large part of Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra (DND) area. Alarmingly, the rainwater was mixed-up with the dumped chemicals and wastes from nearby factories. The contaminated water stood stagnant in many houses and low areas for two to three days, making the residents' lives miserable. They also suffered from want of pure drinking water.

Continuous water-logging warrants serious effort by the authorities for its resolution. It seems, there is no alternative to recovering all the canals and water bodies and widening the drains for smooth flow of rain waters.

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