Warding off worse water logging, city flood
Saturday, 3 July 2010
THE showers at intervals that were experienced in Dhaka city for couple of days or more this week, left enough indications to worry seriously about its conditions during the remaining part of the monsoon period. If even relatively milder showers can create such waterlogged or nearly flooded conditions in so many parts of the city as have happened and received media focus, then the concern cannot help but cross citizens' minds about how their mobility would be affected in what could be worse conditions until the monsoon period end ley the last week of September. Internationally received short- and mid-term weather forecasts this year for Bangladesh and South Asia is not an optimistic one. Heavy rains are projected in the current monsoon period for South Asia. Bangladesh might have to bear a brunt of it, though so far raining has not been extraordinarily heavy in this country. But this situation can change any time with the projections proving to be true. Thus, people in Dhaka city have reasons to be 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 have largely drained off now. But such draining away of the rain waters may be adversely affected if there is again rainfall for some days at a stretch. 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 long as the waters in the rivers in and around Dhaka remain at a safe level, the draining away of rain waters is not likely to be a serious problem. But when the water levels in the rivers will rise after heavy rainfall again either on the city or in the country in line with the weather forecasts, the situation will become critically worse. In that case, without an efficient and workable drainage system in place, the capital city is likely to experience a larger flooding problem that is portended this year.
The authorities do need to take timely actions to spare the city's residents from the great distresses of worse water logging or city floods surpassing the ones that gripped it in 2004 in the wake of heavy monsoon rains. Box culverts 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. Such covers need to be replaced immediately and their proper maintenance should be ensured along with thorough cleaning of them. The entire lengths of the surface drains and storm sewers should be immediately flushed clean. A sufficient number of pumps can be installed in different parts of the city to facilitate the pumping out of rain and flood waters, as and when required. These preparations need to be taken on a priority basis. The concerned authorities are otherwise found to be slow in their activities. They need to be active and should take appropriate actions well in time to ensure a reasonably operating draining system during the heavy monsoon period.
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, therefore, needed to be taken urgently to preserve and improve the remaining natural drainage channels and to recover the encroached ones.
The city's drainage conditions as these exist, seem hardly able to cope with the need to discharge accumulated rain waters. The waters have largely drained off now. But such draining away of the rain waters may be adversely affected if there is again rainfall for some days at a stretch. 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 long as the waters in the rivers in and around Dhaka remain at a safe level, the draining away of rain waters is not likely to be a serious problem. But when the water levels in the rivers will rise after heavy rainfall again either on the city or in the country in line with the weather forecasts, the situation will become critically worse. In that case, without an efficient and workable drainage system in place, the capital city is likely to experience a larger flooding problem that is portended this year.
The authorities do need to take timely actions to spare the city's residents from the great distresses of worse water logging or city floods surpassing the ones that gripped it in 2004 in the wake of heavy monsoon rains. Box culverts 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. Such covers need to be replaced immediately and their proper maintenance should be ensured along with thorough cleaning of them. The entire lengths of the surface drains and storm sewers should be immediately flushed clean. A sufficient number of pumps can be installed in different parts of the city to facilitate the pumping out of rain and flood waters, as and when required. These preparations need to be taken on a priority basis. The concerned authorities are otherwise found to be slow in their activities. They need to be active and should take appropriate actions well in time to ensure a reasonably operating draining system during the heavy monsoon period.
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, therefore, needed to be taken urgently to preserve and improve the remaining natural drainage channels and to recover the encroached ones.