No quick solution to city's waterlogging problem

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LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal Monday said the critical problem of waterlogging in the urban areas during the monsoon couldn't be solved so quickly, reports UNB.
To assist in developing the water supply and resolving the drainage problem of Dhaka and Chittagong, the donors have come up with a primary assurance of about US$ 800 million in assistance, he said at a press briefing.
"The land grabbers have occupied the lakes and canals of the city (Dhaka)… There are back flows as the water retention capacity has been lost. The cities can't be saved from waterlogging with such back flow," Iqbal said.
The LGRD adviser was briefing the newsmen after a daylong meeting on 'GoB-Development Partners Coordination Meeting on DWASA and CWASA - Joint Development Partners Policy Matrix' held at the ministry's conference room.
"The problem (of waterlogging) can't be solved so quickly without giving considerable thoughts," he said, hinting there is no hope of getting relief in near future from the unbearable waterlogging during every monsoon.
Asked what measures his ministry has taken to recover the city lakes and canals from the land grabbers, the LGRD adviser parried the question saying that it does not fall under his ministry.
He, however, informed that a law and order committee, formed in this regard, is working under the Home Ministry.
Replying to another query, the adviser could not say how many illegally occupied lakes and canals have been recovered so far.
However, the managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) claimed that so far they could recover 19 of the 26 canals in the capital city, but could not name the recovered canals.
"Today's meeting was to present before the development partners what we want to do about the water supply and sewerage in the two cities (Dhaka and Chittagong), how much money the projects will cost and how far they can assist us," Advisor Iqbal told reporters.
Local Government Division Secretary Safar Raj Hossain informed that of the US$ 800 million primary assistance offered by the development partners, about $550 million for the development of DWASA and $250 million for CWASA.