Waterlogging fear haunts Khulna city dwellers
Another rains sets in but no move yet to resume the drive to evict canal, river grabbers
Once profusely flowing Mayur River beside Khulna city now gives a pitiful sight, thanks to the influential people's encroachment on the banks and authorities' indifference to the matter.Photo: STAR
Amid continuous encroachment on canals in Khulna city and adjacent Mayur River in absence of authorities' strong eviction drive against the influential offenders, menacing waterlogging has become a matter of serious concern for city dwellers, especially in the rainy season. A staggering 29 out of 50 canals in the city are badly affected by illegal occupiers, making the areas vulnerable to waterlogging due to hindrance in the way of free flow of water during the rains. Over one-third of 15 lakh city dwellers are directly exposed to the waterlogging problem, in addition to serious effect on the normal life and economic activities in the divisional headquarters. About 80 percent roads of the city go under knee to waist-deep water when there is moderate to heavy rainfall. Khan Jahan Ali Road, KD Ghosh Road, Moulvipara, Kashipur New Road, Khalishpur BIDC Road, Sheikhpara, Sher-e-Bangla Road, Tootpara Central Road, Iqbal Nagar are some of the worst affected areas where waterlogging often continues for days. During a drive from July 1 to July 10 in 2009, Khulna City Corporation (KCC) authorities freed 21 canals from encroachers. But the drive faced a sudden suspension and encroachers continued erection of unauthorised structures on 29 other canals as well as Mayur River since then. Contacted on June 15, KCC Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque said that KCC will shortly resume the drive to evict encroachers from the remaining canals and Moyur River. So far as encroachment of canals, dykes and water bodies is concerned, nobody will be spared on any grounds, he said. KCC Estate Officer Md Nuruzzaman Talukder said the district administration is the sole 'owner' of the canals while the city corporation only takes care of them. Following a probe conducted by the KCC, a report submitted on February 10 of 2009 identified 81 people as encroachers of 50 canals, he said, adding that the eviction drive has remained suspended due to absence of any government nominated first class magistrate in the KCC for the last two years. The 81 encroachers include former KCC mayor Sirajul Islam, police inspector Md Moniruzzaman, retired forest officer Md Shajahan, Sub Registrar Nurul Islam, proprietor of Ashraful Ulum Mahila Jamaat Unnayan Sangstha Arshad Ali. Besides, a ward office, a primary school, a factory for making turmeric dust, a crematorium, a college, KDA bus terminal, truck terminal and a women's sports complex are among a large number of unauthorised structures erected on these canals during the last 10 years, the KCC estate officer said. Besides disturbing daily activities of people, waterlogging causes damage to infrastructure and environment, said Prof Dr Dilip Kumar Datta of environmental science department of Khulna University. He stressed the need for formulation of new policy guidelines to save important water bodies like Mayur River from pollution and encroachment to protect fish resources and biodiversity in the area.
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