Waterlogging causes untold suffering to Sylhet city dwellers
As monsoon sets in, waterlogging in many areas of Sylhet city and its suburbs is causing immense sufferings to the dwellers.
Busy city roads go under water even after light to moderate rainfall due to lack of proper drainage system for long.
Sufferings of the city dwellers reached its climax following heavy downpour in last 2 days.
Local met office recorded 92mm rainfall in the city from 6.00am to 4.00pm yesterday.
Officials of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) admitted that rainwater cannot pass through the drains as those are too narrow and blocked due to indiscriminate dumping of wastes.
Local people however alleged that the SCC's sanitation department does not clean the drains regularly.
Dirty wastes also overflow the areas often, they added.
An official source claims that the department lacks manpower to run its cleanup operations smoothly although there are some temporary labourers to do the job.
But they cannot cope with the situation, he added.
Roads at Hawapara, Dargah mohalla, Kajolshah, Bagbari, Kuarpar, Bilpar, Bhatali, Sheikhghat, Shahjalal Upashahar, Jatarpur, Hosnabad, Jhalopara, Sonarpara and Mendibag often go under water even after a moderate rainfall for about an hour.
A number of markets including kitchen ones also go under rainwater.
People at the markets have to wait for hours as most of the vehicles stop running on the roads due to waterlogging, locals said.
Traders also shut down their shops as the roads in front of their shops get waterlogged.
The SCC has however taken up a project for constructing drains and clearing up the occupied natural canals in the city at a cost of Tk 20 crore.
“On completion of the project, much of the waterlogging problem in the city will be resolved,” said acting Mayor Azam Khan while talking to The Daily Star.
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