177mm Rainfall in Nine Hours
Sylhet paralysed, low-lying areas of city flooded
Torrential rain paralysed life in Sylhet as many areas, especially the low-lying parts of the city, went under water by yesterday noon.
The city saw 176.8 mm rainfall in nine hours till 3:00pm yesterday, said an official at the regional Met office.
Water logging in many areas of the city and its suburbs has become a nuisance for the city dwellers, especially during the rainy season.
A number of busy city roads go under water even during light to moderate rainfall as there is lack of proper drainage system.
Almost all the natural streams and canals in the city areas have become narrow due to gradual occupation by a section of unscrupulous people. Many of them have constructed buildings and commercial establishments.
Officials of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) said rainwater cannot pass through the drains and canals as those are too narrow and indiscriminately dumped wastes clog most of the drains.
Local people alleged that sanitation department of the SCC does not clean the drains regularly while the authorities are not sincere to evict the grabbers.
Nur Azizur Rahman, acting chief engineer of the SCC, claimed they could not provide the city dwellers with minimum services due to shortage of employees at the department.
The roads at Bilopar, Kuarpar, Laladighirpar, Kanishail, Hawapara, Dargah Mohalla, Kajolshah, Bagbari, Shahjalal Upashahar, Tero Ratan, Jatarpur, Hosnabad, Jhalopara, Mendibag, etc go under water even after a little rain.
A number of markets including some kitchen markets also go under rainwater and people suffer a lot.
Four weeks ago, the SCC started a programme for constructing drains and freeing the natural streams /canals from occupiers in the city areas under a Tk 20 crore project.
But the work to demolish illegal structures on the banks of streams including Malni Chhera, Goali Chhera, Monglichhera, Kalibari-Akhalia Chhera, Bhubichhera, Boloramer Khal, Ratnar Khal, Haldichhera and Bashu Khal was later suspended due to pressure from influential quarters.
Sylhet city Mayor Badar uddin Ahmed Kamran, however, said the waterlogging problem in the city will be solved when the project work completes.
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