Residents affected by climate-induced hazards in 17 wards under CCC: speakers

Residents of 17 wards under the Chattogram City Corporation are being affected due to climate-induced hazards, including salinity of groundwater, landslides, and waterlogging, said speakers at a workshop today.

Climate-induced migration within the country is on the rise, especially among those living in the coastal belt, they said while addressing a workshop, "Chattogram Water Supply Improvement Project", jointly organised by Global Centre on Adaptation, Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK) and WaterAid, at CCC's conference room.

Around 32 percent of coastal areas, mostly from low-income groups, are affected by climate-induced hazards in Bangladesh, said Babul Bala, programme lead of universal access programmes at WaterAid.

"Of them, 64 percent were displaced locally and 27 percent had to relocated in other areas in the country since 2011," he also said.

"The aim of this project is to create an adaptation plan for people to complement future city-wise planning," he added.

MA Hakim, project director of DSK, said the project will have scope for a comprehensive analysis of how climate change is impacting the low-income groups, and formulate an inclusive, resilient plan to combat the challenges of climate-induced hazards.

Arif Ahmed, senior water supply and sanitation specialist at World Bank's Water Global Practice in Dhaka, said the project would deal with a total of 108 low-income communities affected by climate-induced hazards in 17 wards of CCC.

Addressing as chief guest, Afroza Kalam, acting CCC mayor, said the project will help the CCC and Chattogram Wasa to deliver better services to the people.

CWasa managing director AKM Fazlullah also spoke, among others.