Chattogram's Achilles' heel
Every year, high tides and downpours submerge Chattogram city for days on end, and this year is no different. Like the city's 5.2 million residents, we too are once again disappointed at the authorities' sheer negligence in addressing a longstanding issue – waterlogging. Over the decades, urbanisation has slowly strangled the city's once abundant waterways. As per a report in this daily, in the past 50 years, 70 percent of the water bodies have been filled up, and due to illegal occupation, many of the canals have just vanished. Even though the city once had 72 canals, Chattogram Wasa's drainage master plan now only shows 56. Looking at the situation, is it a surprise that people have to wade through knee-to-waist-deep water every monsoon?
Since 2017, Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) has been implementing a Tk 5,617-crore megaproject, which was supposed to greatly improve the city's drainage. Clearly, that improvement is yet to materialise, as just recently, water rushed into the city's many homes and shops, disrupting lives and harming businesses. The project's revised deadline was June 2023, but as is tradition, it has been crossed with 76 percent of the work being completed. Despite its duty to fix drainage, CDA itself seems to be complicit in promoting careless urbanisation and filling water bodies. The authority is developing land in low-lying areas, which are integral to retaining rainwater, and has approved the filling up of water bodies between 15 and 30 katha by taking permission from the Department of Environment, ignoring the Natural Water Reservoir Conservation Act, 2000.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Regarding its land projects, CDA's explanation is that such development is for the sake of people, as it allows residents to own plots. If the authority indeed works for the people, wouldn't it be wiser to resolve the drainage crisis for the betterment of everyone, instead of serving a few?
Along with CDA, Chattogram City Corporation and Water Development Board are also implementing relevant projects, with their deadlines approaching fast. Ideally, these government bodies are supposed to coordinate to meet their shared goal, but what we keep seeing is one blaming the other for their collective failure. To put an end to this dysfunction, we urge the government to form an umbrella organisation, comprising all relevant bodies, to ensure accountability and efficiency. While reviving the drains and canals, authorities must also put a stop to illegal occupation and filling of water bodies. If proper measures are taken, the people of Chattogram will certainly see a monsoon that will not bring misery.
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