Dhaka City Corporations (North and South) yet take any action to remove water logging in the densely populated capital Dhaka.
Recently, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayor Annisul Haque visited several water logging areas and expressed his disappointment at the irresponsibility of the authority concerned as well as the locals who are blocking the drainage by illegal occupation of the canals and dumping wastage at the sewerage lines.
Annisul directed the authority concerned to take action immediately against the illegal occupier but it seems to have taken no action against them.“We imported a modern machine to remove waste from drain from Germany. The “Jet and Sucker” machine is able to clean water logging and waste of 120 meters of drain in only 10 minutes,” added Annisul.
“The developed countries are now using modern technologies. We imported the Sucker machine which cost Tk 10 crore for DNCC. We used the machine at Baridhara area as an experiment and it shows the capability of working 22 hours in a day,” said Mayor Annisul Haque.
Dhaka is the capital city is one of the populous Mega Cities in the world. As the growth of urban population taking place at an exceptionally rapid rate, the city is unable to cope with changing situations due to their internal resource constraints and management limitations.
In recent years Dhaka City is facing extensive water logging during the monsoon (May to October) as a common and regular problem of the city.
Heavy downpour occurs in the city during this time. Tt is located in the extensive floodplains of Ganges and Brahmaputra. But the unplanned spatial development activities and growth of habitation due to rapid rise in population are causing encroachment on retention waterbodies to properly drain out the urban runoff.
Therefore water logging is taking place at different parts of the city and inundation of low-lying areas continues for several days. Inadequate drainage sections, conventional drainage system with low capacity and gravity, natural siltation, absence of inlets and outlets, indefinite drainage outlets, lack of proper maintenance of existing drainage system, and above all of blockage on the drainage system cause the water logging.
This monsoon water logging becomes a burden for the inhabitants as well as of the City Corporations creating adverse social, physical, economic and environment impacts.
Disruption of traffic movement and normal life, damage of structure and infrastructure, destruction of vegetation and aquatic habitats, loss of income potentials are encountered effects of water logging in the city life.
The rain water is polluted as it mixes with solid waste, clinical waste, silt, contaminates, domestic wastes and other human activities that increase the incidence of water born diseases.
The stagnant water leads the breeding of diseases that becomes a hazard to health as well as spreads foul smell.
Management of drainage system of Dhaka City is at present a challenge for the urban authorities because of rapid growth of population and unplanned development activities.
Therefore, a close coordination among urban authorities and agencies and collaboration between public and private sectors is needed for effective management and sustainable operation of city drainage system, said experts. – Staff Reporter
