Waterlogging in Dhaka: Mayor Khokon, Wasa at loggerheads
The Dhaka South City Corporation and the Dhaka Wasa are pointing the finger at each other about the waterlogging problem in the capital.
The blame game started a day after DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon termed Dhaka Wasa (Water Supply and Sewerage Authority) a “failed organisation” when it comes to addressing the capital's waterlogging issue.
Describing the mayor's comment as his personal opinion, Dhaka Wasa Managing Director Taqsem A Khan yesterday said, “With due regard to him [the mayor], I don't agree with any of his comments; none of his comments is correct either.”
“An elected mayor is a part of the government. My question is: why doesn't he then lodge this complaint with the government instead of making such comments in public?”
Taqsem said the mayor's comments do not correspond to Wasa's achievement index. Wasa supplies fresh water to 12 to 15 million people every day in the capital -- a population equal to the one of Austria and Switzerland combined, he said.
The mayor should not have said that without adequate information, the Wasa MD added.
Speaking at a programme at Dhaka University on Sunday, Mayor Khokon said, “Wasa is not working properly to solve the waterlogging problem. Rather, they are busy with projects involving hundreds of crores of taka.”
Though it was the duty of Wasa to address the problem, they were not paying attention to it, he added.
Taqsem argued that if Wasa was solely responsible for the storm drainage system, how could the north and south city corporations lay hundreds of kilometres of storm drainage line in the capital?
One of the main reasons behind waterlogging in the city this year was extensive road digging by the two city corporations for laying storm water drainage lines and sewerage pipes during the rainy season, he said. “What is the plan behind laying the pipelines?”
Out of around 2,300km drainage network in Dhaka city, Wasa maintains the core 360km storm water drainage lines, including canals. The rest, mostly surface drains, is looked after by the two city corporations.
Taqsem said drainage capacity of storm water drainage lines and canals had significantly reduced as they were clogged with solid garbage, and that the two city corporations were supposed to clean those up. Moreover, designated flood plains around the capital were filled up for real estate companies.
As a result, rainwater recedes slowly in the city, he said. Regarding filling up of flood plains, the Wasa MD said Wasa had not been included in any technical committee that altered Dhaka's Detailed Area Plan over the last four years.
When asked about Tawsem's points, Khokon said when he goes to different wards to hear about the problems of residents, most people complain about water supply and waterlogging problems.
This was why he termed Wasa a “failed organisation”, as it did not give attention to the problems of locals, the mayor said. “I think the remark I made was the view of the people.”
Wasa takes huge projects like fetching water from the Padma and Meghna rivers, instead of giving attention to local problems, he added.
About Wasa's complaints about not cleaning surface drains, Khokon admitted that in some cases garbage management workers do not clean properly.
Wastewater flows into the Buriganga through sewers, but there is no initiative to treat it, he said. Wasa would not have to go for water from the Padma and the Meghna if the Buriganga remained clean.
He expressed dissatisfaction with Wasa's role in addressing waterlogging.
The mayor said they completed 85 percent work of drainage system in Shantinagar, an area which would go under knee-deep water after rain, and that the situation there improved.
However, there was waterlogging in Malibagh and Rajarbagh areas, he noted.
About bringing the storm water drainage system under one authority, the mayor said they were ready to take up the responsibility.
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