CCC moves to remove waterlogging
Workers dredge Mirza Khal as part of the on-going renovation of canals by Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) to reduce waterlogging. Photo: STAR
At least 70 per cent dredging and widening works of 100 canals, out of 144, have been completed this year to rid the city dwellers of serious waterlogging, said the sources at Chittagong City Corporation (CCC). CCC started the dredging and widening of the city canals and drains under a project of Tk 5 crore in December last year. Ten sophisticated excavators were used for the first time to accelerate the work of dredging the canals up to 12 to 15 feet deep and 20 to 30 feet width, said the sources. Acting Mayor M Manjur Alam said with the dredging already completed CCC will be able to lessen suffering of the city dwellers by 60 to 70 per cent this year. “The sophisticated excavators helped us widen and dredge the canals at a rate much more faster,” he said. He, however, sought cooperation from all the authorities concerned to address the waterlogging completely through developing a drainage system with 39 tidal regulators at the entry points of the city canals according to the drainage master plan. “Digging of new canals in many areas is essential for proper drainage of the rainwater as many of the water bodies have been filled up reducing the total catchments in the city,” said the mayor, adding that they have already sent a proposal to the LGRD ministry in this regard. CCC Superintendent Engineer (Division1) Mohammad Abu Saleh said they have conducted renovation work at around 100 canals until last month (May) and will also continue the work during the rainy season. “We are forming a team that will rush for instant dredging to help drain out logged-water from the city area during the rainy season,” he said. The major canals, which were dredged and widened, include Mohesh Khal near Police Line at Halishahar, Rampur Khal at Rampur, Gahona Chhara at Halishahar, Bahar Khal at Saraipara, Shital Jharna at Panchlaish, Bamunshahi Khal, Mirza Khal and Dom Khal at Chandgaon, Birza Khal at East Sholoshahar, Tripura Khal at West Sholoshahar, Chashma Khal at Sholokbahar, Bongshal Para Chhara at North Pathantuli and Nasir Khan Chhara at North Agrabad and Chaktai Khal at different points, Saleh added. Ward Commissioner Siddique Ahmed Chowdhury said the Mohesh Khal and Gahona Chhara Khal in his ward have been dredged and widened this year. He hoped that the area would not inundate like the previous year following the dredging and widening of the canals. “Construction of walkways to protect encroachment and concrete bed to help remove wastes and retaining walls are needed to put a permanent end to silting up of canals and repeated renovation by the CCC,” he said. Ward Commissioner Dost Mohammad said regular maintenance is needed to save the canals from getting silted up and contain the waterlogging without dredging every year. The people living along the canal banks said due to lack of proper maintenance for around two years until December 2007 caused the canals silted up, disrupting normal passage of rainwater and sewages to the river Karnaphuli and the Bay. As a result, the city dwellers witnessed unprecedented waterloggings on June 11 and on October 16 last year that caused immense suffering to the people as well as damages to life and properties. On both the occasions, most of the city areas went under waist-deep to chest-deep water while normal activities as well as wheel of economy came to a total halt as inundation and waterlogging caused damages to machineries and raw materials at different industrial units.
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