Waterlogging a perennial problem for the port city
A total of 13.5 square kilometre area of the port city is directly at risk of waterlogging, while a total of 52 square kilometre area is vulnerable due to unplanned urbanisation, finds a study.
The study -- conducted by Save the Children and Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) -- revealed that 70 percent of the port city's canals have vanished in 53 years.
As the city has been developed in an unplanned manner, its low-lying area, including Agrabad, Halishahar, Bakalia, Mohra, Khatunganj and Chaktai submerged by the tidal surge even during dry seasons.
When the city's drainage master plan was formulated by John R Snell, a US-based company, in 1969, 70 canals were found in the city.
However, the number has declined to 22 in the last 53 years, as per a survey conducted by Chattogram Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa).
The study, titled "Multi-Hazard Contingency Plan for Chattogram City Corporation", also revealed that a total of 22 wards of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) are directly at risk of waterlogging. Of those, six are at very high risk, 13 are at moderate to low risk, and three fall under the extreme risk category.
If the waterlogging problem is not resolved quickly, even with a normal rainfall of 200mm per day, most of the low-lying areas of the city may submerge under 1.3 feet of water, according to the study, funded by Save the Children.
Md Shah Jalal Misuk, assistant professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet), worked as the chief consultant of the study.
He told The Daily Star that the categories of very high, extreme and moderate risk have been considered based on the level of waterlogging and its economic impact.
"The wards that are predicted to go under 3 feet to 3.5 feet of water fall under the very high-risk group, while those predicted to go under one to 3 feet of water are in the extreme-risk group," said Misuk.
"The study has been conducted to formulate an action plan for the CCC so that it can address the issue effectively. Once the project is completed, CCC would be the maintenance authority and so the study would help the CCC in this regard," he added.
The action plan contains several recommendations to reduce the risk of waterlogging, including regular monitoring of canals and drains to keep those free from obstacles, giving room for the free flow of water, covering the drains with high slabs or netting, evicting illegal structures from drains and canals and conducting awareness programmes among city dwellers.
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